Bring Down the Castle Walls
by HoodedSpellcaster
Summary: Based on the story "Beauty and the Beast". Riku is a teenage boy who lives in a little provincial town, suffering from the lack of adventure and endless proposals from a certain man. When his father trespasses a castle and becomes its Masters prisoner, Riku and his brother leave the town to the rescue him from the place full of monsters.
1. Chapter 1-1

Beauty and the Beast

Summary: Riku is a teenage boy who lives in a little provincial town, suffering from lack of adventure and endless proposals from a certain man. When his father trespasses a castle and becomes its Masters prisoner, Riku and his brother leave the town to the rescue him from the place full of monsters.

Pairing: mainly Ansem x Riku, Xemnas x Saïx, others mentioned

Rating: T

Warnings: Yaoi, characters are very badly OOC, AU, grammatical errors, non-explicit stuff, Disney-based. 'Nuff said.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. This story is mine, though.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

UPDATE: This was formerly known as the first story of my "Kingdom Hearts Fairytales" but I decided to bury that project so this fic counts from now on as an individual story.

A/N: I wanted to write "Beauty and the Beast" because it's one of favorites. I actually had started writing this about two years ago but then the roles were different, and for example Riku wasn't in the story at all. But I decided to change it a bit and now it looks like this. Enjoy~

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Prologue

Once upon a time in a far away land, hidden deep in the woods, was a shining castle, and in that castle lived two young princes, twins with golden eyes. They were sons of late lord Xehanort, and both considered very beautiful by their looks. But they were tainted by their souls. Older of them was called 'Xehanort's Heartless', because whatever he did or got never satisfied his heart so he only wanted more and more. Younger instead was considered as 'Xehanort's Nobody', because he worked behind the scenes for his own goals, not being afraid to hurt to get what he wants. Both of them had everything they could desire and yet the princes were spoiled, selfish and crude. They consider no one equal to themselves, and they were ruthless.

Once in a cold winter's night an old beggar woman came to the castle, asking for a place to rest until the blizzard ends. Sympathetic of the woman's bad condition the few servants who hadn't left the castle for the Christmas let her in to meet their masters. They hoped that for once in their lives the masters would show some heart. Their hopes crumbled when they let the woman into the throne room where the princes were sitting on their golden thrones.

"Who the fuck invited her?" the older of the princes snarled, sneering at the woman's hideous look. As the servants tried to explain how cold it was outside the prince grimaced.

"I don't do charitable work", he said coldly, gaining a nod from the younger. "And she has nothing to offer me. Now get her off my castle."

The old woman showed them a single frosty rose. "I could give you this."

The older prince began to laugh, so the woman turned the gift to the younger.

"Please", she begged handing the rose to him. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the younger denied receiving the gift, slapping it from the woman's hand. He glared at the old woman, and his eyes showed his full scorn towards her.

"There's no place for you", he said with no emotion when the old woman picked the rose from the floor.

"You heard us you ugly hag", the older spat. "Keep your rose and leave."

The woman shook her head, offering the rose to the older again. "I warn you, young prince, the true beauty hides within", she said smiling gently. And as both of the princes dismissed her again she turned to leave.

"As you wish", the old woman creaked, holding the rose. "But let me give you a little farewell present instead." After those words the old woman's ugliness melted away, revealing a beautiful young girl, an enchantress, a white witch. She had platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Floating in the air she shined golden light, hem of her white dress hovering around her legs as she glared at the princes.

"I am Naminé", she said. "And I came from far, far away to see are the rumors I had heard true. I'm disappointed!"

They tried to apologize and ask her to stay in the castle but it was too late. The white witch had already seen that there was no love or compassion in their cold hearts. She tossed the rose to the older.

"You're ungrateful young man", the witch hissed. "You desire for power and beauty but don't see beyond the surface because of your pure foolishness. You're not a human, but a beast!"

"No! Let me explain!" the prince begged but the witch didn't change her mind. As punishment of the older brother's rudeness and lack of respect for others, she transformed him into a hideous monster to teach him a lesson of true beauty.

"Now your soul will match with your appearance", she said. The younger turned his eyes away from his brother's hideous new look. The witch chuckled.

"I didn't forget you", she told coldly, looking at the younger brother. "You're not any better than your brother. You're cruel for those who need your help and your hands cause only pain and suffering. Darkness, that's what you really are and where you belong."

The younger couldn't bewail his destiny as the witch slowly turned him to nothing, forcing him to live in the shadows. He was no longer able to really touch anyone or anything.

Feeling no sorrow of what she had done to the cruel brothers she was sorry for the all people who lived in the castle. She couldn't leave her punishment unfinished so she placed a different spell on the castle and all others who lived there. No longer would anyone who had lived in the castle return or remember the place, but to help those few servants who had stayed there she gave unique powers. And eventually, because Naminé was a kind-hearted witch, she gave to the brothers a chance to break her spells. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose. It will slowly melt and lose its petals until their twenty-fifth birthday. If they could learn to love, and earn love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spells would be broken and everything would turn the way it was. If not, the princes would be doomed to live with their curses forever. Ashamed of his monstrous form the older brother concealed himself to his chamber with a Magic Mirror as his only window to the outside world, and the younger brother instead wandered in the shadows of the castle. As the years past, they fell into despair, and lost all hope…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 1. Meet the Beauties, Enter the Castle

All these years, not so far away from the castle, there was a village. It was just a little town, a quiet village with its little people. And among those people there lived two young men in a little cottage just outside the village.

"Damn you, Saïx!" the younger of them, a boy just 17 years of age, yelled annoyedly and chased the older around the kitchen. The boy had shoulder-length white hair and blue eyes, and he was rather tall and slender than muscular. His name was Riku, and he was an inventor's son. The man he chased instead was called Saïx; he was on his early twenties. Saïx had long blue hair and yellow eyes; he was also taller than Riku and more manly build, yet still effeminate. They were brothers, adoptive brothers to be exact. Neither of them was really related to the inventor, nor to each others, and yet they considered the kind and wise man as their father and mentor.

"Just catch me, if you can!" Saïx yelled back, smirking when picked up his speed and run out from the open door to the yard. Riku had no other option than follow him to the town. Saïx smirked at his brother's distress, seeing that Riku was still left far behind. He slowed down as he stepped from the dirt road onto the cobbled street. Having time to rest for a moment and noticing the baker going with his tray, like always at the morning, Saïx turned to chat with him. The baker had the same old bread and rolls to sell but for change there were also spinach pinwheels today. Too bad the blunette hadn't taken money with him.

"Good morning, Saïx", the baker greeted as he noticed the blunette waving at him.

"Good morning, Pence."

"Where you're off to?"

"The bookshop", Saïx replied, showing a plain book with dull red covers. "I just _helped_ Riku to finish the most boring book ever about a keyblade, and keyholes and a-"

Pence gave a smile. "Well that's nice. Olette, the baguettes, hurry up please!"

Saïx shrugged, understanding that the baker wasn't really interested in talking with him, and continued walking. Riku would catch up with him soon. Walking down the street like everyday, Saïx gained disapproving and flouting looks from fellow townsfolk.

"Look, there he goes", Seifer spat, standing across the street with his two friends. "That boy is weird, no question."

Fuu nodded. "Blue hair, sharp canines…"

"He's parlous, can't you tell?"

"Never part of any crowd."

"'Cause he's different from us, y' know", Rai added.

-o-o-o-o-

Trying to ignore all mean talking he heard, and mumbling his hatred towards this poor provincial town and its narrow-minded people Saïx entered the bookshop Riku used to visit every so often.

"Ah, Saïx?" Merlin noted, alarmed a bit when he didn't hear the door.

"I came to return the book Riku borrowed", Saïx told with a smile. In his opinion Riku used too much time reading books than helping him with household chores.

The shopkeeper smiled. "Did he finish it already?"

"He read it twice", the blunette told, hiding his grimace, and continued politely. "Have you got anything new?"

"Not since yesterday."

"Good."

"Merlin!" Riku cried out, gaining a surprised look from the old man.

"Riku? What brought you here?" Merlin asked, surprised that both of the brothers had appeared to his humble shop.

"That book!" the whitette told, pointing at the book Saïx was holding. "I mean… I'm sorry. I need more time."

"But I heard you've read it twice!"

Riku looked a little flushed. "Well, it's my favorite", he told, smiling brightly and empathizing his words. "Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a hero in disguise!"

The shopkeeper laughed and took the book from the blunette and handing it to Riku. "If you like it all that much it's yours!"

"Bu-but Merlin?!" Riku stuttered.

"I insist!"

"Well thank you, thank you very much! "

So much to Saïx's disappointment Riku got to keep the book. "You're happy now?" he snarled as they left the shop.

"Not as much as if I could have eaten my breakfast without interrupting, but yes", Riku told with a smirk.

"You read while eating", Saïx reminded him. "It's annoying. I just had to tease you a little."

"And that was a little?" Riku laughed, punching the elder's arm.

-o-o-o-o-

The townsfolk glared them as usual, a little more when they were together. "The sons of crazy old inventor" were actually quite popular, yet outlandish sight.

"Look, there they go", Cloud said, whispering. "They're so peculiar."

"I wonder if Riku's feeling well", Aerith added, worriedly taking Cloud's hand and pointing at the brothers. "He's always reading a book..."

Yuffie snorted, interrupting Aerith. "I can say nothing but they're both screwed up!"

"Isn't this amazing?" Riku sighed, showing couple pages to Saïx while walking. "It's my favorite part because... you'll see."

Saïx raised his eyebrow, glancing at the book Riku was so fond to.

"Here's where they meet again but he won't discover that it's him till _Empty Melodies_."

Tifa grimaced as she heard Riku and Saïx when they passed her and Leon.

"It's a wonder why his name means "earth" when his head's always up on some cloud", she noted with a sigh, making Leon nod in agreement.

"And behind his fair façade I'm afraid he's rather odd", Leon mumbled. "He's very different from the rest of us, as you see."

Of course not all townspeople looked down at the two brothers. Marluxia, a gardener in the third generation, saw them very differently. And Marluxia, who not to mention was often told to be very cute and charming with his petal pink hair and sky blue eyes, got always what he wanted. A sound of a gunshot.

"You didn't miss a shot, Xigbar", he said, leaning to a tree. "You must be a greatest hunter in the whole world."

A hunter looked at him and grinned widely. "I know." The hunter instead was named Xigbar. He was way older than Marluxia but still acting a lot like a teenager. His black hair was already started went gray and his left eye was covered with an eye-patch.

"No beast alive stands a chance against you!" Marluxia continued almost admirerably.

"I know", Xigbar hummed again and picked up the goose he had just shot down. Larxene, a green eyed girl with slicked back blonde hair and two tresses pointing out like antennas, giggled. She was sitting other side of the tree.

"But no girl, or boy, stands a chance against Marluxia, if you know what I mean", she chuckled, sneering to Xigbar.

"As if", Xigbar sneered back at the girl. "Someday I'll find some cute kid. Someone humorous and sweet. Someone who will adore me. And it will be love at the first sight! Then we'll see who laughs!"

"Good luck with that", Larxene spat. "How did you think you'll even find someone who will stand you? You'll frighten that poor person with a gun?"

The older man was already commenting about Larxene's previous statement when the pinkette interrupted him.

"I don't care what you were talking about", Marluxia noted, with a grin. "But Larxene is right at the one point, Xiggy. Unlike you, I already have one I've got my sight set on!"

Xigbar and Larxene looked curiously at the direction where Marluxia was pointing at.

Xigbar's jaw fell. "T-the inventor's daughter!? I mean, his son?!" he blurted out. "Are ya losing your mind, too?"

"He's the one, the lucky boy I'm going to marry!"

"But he's so... odd", Larxene threw in. "And he's family is spaced out as well."

"Yes! Wait, no! His personality is a little minus, and I can handle his crazy old father so his lunatic brother is barely the only problem", Marluxia said confidently. "And Riku is the second most beautiful person in this town."

Larxene raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "Who's the most-?"

"I am the most beautiful, of course! And the fact he's the second makes him the best option! And could you, Larxene, Xigbar, my friends, say that don't deserve the best? Could you?!"

"Well of course, I mean ya do, but I…!" Xigbar gabbled as Larxene just smirked, a bit disappointed that Marluxia didn't consider her as the second most beautiful.

"Right from the moment when I met him, saw him", Marluxia hummed, taking Xigbar's hand and pulling him next to him as he pointed at Riku. "I said he's gorgeous and I fell."

Larxene sighed for her best friend's fuss over the mad inventor's son, listening as Marluxia continued. "Here in town it's only he who's almost as beautiful as me, so I'm making plans to woo and marry him!"

-o-o-o-o-

Marluxia was sure that Riku would marry him at the moment he proposes him, but he didn't know that the whitette had other admirers as well. The triplettes – Sora, Roxas, and Xion – had also laid their eyes on him.

"Look there he goes!" Sora, the brunette, squealed. "Isn't he dreamy?"

"It's Riku!" Roxas, the blonde, chuckled.

"Oh, he's so cute!" Xion, the one with black hair, added.

"Be still my heart! I'm hardly breathing!" Sora whispered on the edge of fainting.

"He's such a cute, sweet, strong, yet so handsome man!" Xion and Roxas chanted in unison. Riku instead was blissfully unaware of those three but he knew about Marluxia's _feelings _towards him. And really, he wasn't Riku's type. Riku wanted something more, something more than his life in that provincial town. He wanted to live his dreams. And a marriage, not with Marluxia at least, had nothing to do with Riku's dreams. Marluxia approached the brothers, smiling widely.

"Well, hello there. Riku, Saïx", Marluxia greeted politely but noticing the book he gave a disgusted look. "Why are you _reading_?"

He took the novel from Riku and tossed it carelessly on ground, making Larxene and Xigbar chuckle. Riku quickly grabbed the book, and cleaned it as well as he at the moment could.

"You have more important things to do besides reading. It might cause you to get ideas, and start _thinking_!"

Saïx grimaced at the comment. He didn't like the fact Riku read a lot but it was his brotherly right to tease him about it, not Marluxia's.

Riku shrugged. "I like reading."

"Please, all that time you spend your pretty little nose stuck in a book you could use more properly", the pinkette told. "Like hanging out with me."

Saïx snorted. Riku forced himself to smile. "I'm busy helping our dad."

"That crazy old loon?!" Xigbar laughed. "It's a matter of time when blows himself up!"

He and Larxene began to laugh, making Marluxia giggle as well. Saïx wasn't the least bit surprised of Xigbar's comment but he ignored it, only snarling at him a bit. Riku wasn't feeling as tolerant. He glared at them, holding his book to his chest. "My father isn't crazy! He is a genius!"

Marluxia stopped laughing and so did Larxene. Xigbar didn't catch on so Larxene hitted him.

"You heard him! His father isn't a crazy!" she shrieked. Suddenly they all heard an explosion go off; turning to see where it came from. Cursing slightly, Riku and Saïx left quickly and began running home, leaving Marluxia and his company laughing.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Saïx got home before Riku, opening the door to their father's workshop. A cloud of smoke gushed out, making him cough couple times.  
"Father?" Saïx called. He soon let out a sigh of relief, hearing their father kicking one of his unsuccessful gadgets.

Riku run into the workshop. "Is father okay?!" he yelled. He was always as worried about the old man, even though the inventor exploded his workshop once in a while.

"Yes, he is", Saïx noted, seeing how diligently their usually so well-mannered adoptive father used swear words.

"I've had enough of this! I'll never make this work!" Ansem the Wise, that was the name of their father, cried out, kicking the machine one more time. "This thing was a monster in a making when I first laid my hands on it!"

Riku rolled his eyes and picked up a wrench to give it to their father. "No, dad, it'll be the world's greatest woodcutter! But only if you finish it."

Saïx nodded in agreement. Slowly Ansem's lips curled into a smile.

"You're right! I can't just give up!" He rolled up his sleeves and crawled under the gadget with the wrench. "Maybe if I strain this a little… And pull this there-"

Riku sat reading a little further away from him and opened the book. Saïx instead stood at the door. "Father?" he asked calmly. "Do you think I look weird?"

Riku glanced at his brother, not surprised of his question.

"Of course you don't!" Ansem told, still lying on the floor under his masterpiece-in-making. "Who makes you think that? Townsfolk?"

Saïx nodded, mumbling an apology of even asking such a matter of course. It must be because of your scar, Riku wanted to note but he kept his mouth shut. The X-shaped scar on Saïx's face wasn't disgusting in Riku's eyes but townsfolk found it hideous. Ansem get up from the floor, frowning at the blunette.

"They are simple people. Forgive them for their own sake", he said, taking a rag from the side table to clean his oily hands. "Now, let's try this thing!"

Ansem pushed few buttons and pulled a lever. Riku retreated few steps when the machine began to clack and clatter, steam spraying out from its pipes. An axe hitted a log and split it into two perfect pieces of wood. Ansem laughed loudly.

"It works!" the old man whooped, taking a few dance steps with Riku. "It really works!"

The whitette chuckled. "Now you can go to the fair tomorrow, and become a famous inventor!"

"That's true! Now, boys, help me load this masterpiece into the cart."

Soon Riku and Saïx were waving goodbyes to their father and wishing him luck, and as Ansem with his chestnut horse, Zero, and the cart disappeared into the woods Riku sighed.

"I hope he'll be alright", he said.

Saïx nodded, glancing at the sky. It was still early, sun wouldn't set soon. "As long as he stays on the road everything will be fine."

-o-o-o-o-o-

As the night darkened Ansem was still on his way to the fair. He had never had a good sense of direction but this time his bad luck was getting ridiculous.

"Slow down, Zero", the old man mumbled annoyedly, stopping the cart at crossroads. "If I read this map correctly we should take the left path."

Zero gave a disapproval neigh, trying to go the opposite way.

"No, boy! This time I'm sure the left is the right way", Ansem said. "We'll arrive on time if you don't dawdle now."

Despite a wish of taking another path Zero obeyed Ansem and they continued to the left. The steed became more scared as the moon slowly rose to light their way, and whinnied worriedly everytime it heard sounds from the woods.

"Calm down a bit, will you? It was just a wind", Ansem reassured the horse, yet he was more of reassuring himself, and when he heard wolves howling his nervousness increased. He prayed the pack wouldn't attack them. He wasn't that lucky. Half dozen snarling gray carnivores began to slowly surround the cart, getting ready for an easy prey. Zero wasn't going to get eaten alive. It picked up the speed and galloped in panic forward. Ansem had problems to not fall from the cart as Zero rushed through the forest. The steed stopped unexpectedly, dropping the old man by accident and run away with the cart. The road had ended to a massive metal gate. In a hurry Ansem crawled to it, couple wolves breathing on his neck, hungrily. He managed to open it enough that he could slide in, and closed the gate quickly after him. The wolves were left outside. Ansem breathed heavily, he hadn't been this close to death since of his gadgets had exploded. Once he was sure he was safe from the bloodthirsty animals, he looked around. He gazed at a grand castle which in the gleaming moonlight seemed more or less abandoned. After hesitating a moment Ansem walked to the castle doors and warily opened them.

"Hello? Excuse me?" he called, closing the door behind himself. "I got lost and I need a place to rest. Just for tonight."

As he didn't hear a response he sat down on the hall's floor. Spider webs and layers of dust didn't embellish the otherwise ornamental premises. Ansem didn't want to go further into the desolate castle. But what he didn't know was that the castle wasn't as abandoned as he thought. Just in the next room a heated debate was going on.

"What he's doing here?" the first voice asked, sounding a bit resentful.

"He said he got lost. We should help him!" another noted.

"Hell no! Masters won't accept it!" the first said. "We don't do that kind of thing ever again, got it memorized?!"

"Aw, but he'll catch a cold there!"

"Well that's not our problem! Let's just keep quiet about this and wish either of the Masters won't notice him!"

"Oh, come on, Axel", the other whined. "Show some heart!"

"No, Demyx!"

It was too late for Axel's complaining. Demyx has already pushed the door open and went talking to the intruder.

"Hey", he whispered to Ansem politely. "Welcome to our castle. I'll offer you a better place to stay for the night. Follow me."

The dim lightning prevented Ansem from seeing the talker clearly. "I can't see you", he mumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm Demyx", the talker hummed. "One of the servant's of this castle. Take my hand and I'll lead you to a little warmer room."

Faltering, Ansem touched Demyx's hand but pulled his own quickly back, giving a loud gasp. Demyx's hand wasn't solid, nor was it liquid. It was something what Ansem couldn't describe in words. Demyx quickly mumbled an apology.

"_What _are you…?" Ansem asked in fear. Before Demyx answer to question Axel stormed out from the next room.

"That's it!" Axel muttered, very frustrated, lighting up the place. "_We're_ just trying to be hospitable and you act like that!"

Demyx blinked at his friend's sudden outburst. "Axel…? Why you-?"

Ansem's eyes widened. Now he was able to see the two, but not because Axel would have held a candlestick or a torch, oh no. His hair was on fire, or probably, instead of hair there were flames growing from his scalp. He had eyes like emeralds in contrast to the red of his flames and purple upturned teardrops under his eyes. The little flames danced on his skin. Demyx instead had almost light brown, weirdly shaped hair and gentle, light blue eyes. Most of his skin was covered with some kind of liquid. It made him gleam in light.

"Why I did what? Come to help you? Please", Axel mumbled, waving his hand. He glanced at Ansem. "You, old man, keep your mouth shut and come with us. No questions. Oh, and I'm Axel, get it memorized."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ansem followed Axel and Demyx to a comfy living room. A fireplace had been lit and an armchair in front of it looked very tempting.

"Sit down. You're our first guest in a very long time", Demyx requested, smiling kindly, and Ansem was more than willing to obey.

"Demy, don't get too friendly", Axel warned his companion. "He's going to stay only this one night. And you old man, remember to keep as quiet as you can. Here the shadows have_ears_, too."

"Would you like something to drink?" the water boy asked, ignoring Axel's warnings. "I could ask Lux to make you some tea."

"Tea would be good", Ansem noted, sneezing. He sighed, now he had caught a cold, too.

"Okay! I'll be back soon!" Demyx chirped, making Axel frown in worry. When Demyx left the room, the silence fell. Ansem studied Axel carefully; he hadn't seen anything like him or Demyx in his whole life. They looked like humans but still they could as well be some kind of monsters or illegal aliens from the outer space. Yes, Ansem the Wise believed in aliens.

The fire boy grimaced. "Quit staring, will you?"

"I'm sorry", Ansem said, and turned his gaze away.

"Don't be", Axel told with a smirk. "Just don't stare."

"So, Axel, what is this dreadful place?"

Axel smiled. "This place… is our _home._"

After a moment of polite conversation things changed. The darkness lingered to the room, making Axel twitch as he noticed it. _Not good_, he thought, biting his lower lip. _They really had noticed him._ Even Ansem saw the shadows moving dangerously.

"What's going on here?" he asked from Axel, but the flame-haired man didn't answer to him. Instead he heard someone else talking in a displeased tone.

"_What do I see here…?"_

"Who is there…?" Ansem asked again.

"_How unpleasant."_

"Master, let me explain!" Axel begged, not sounding very convincing after finding his voice again.

"_Explain what? You've broken the rules"_, the voice said, dangerously, from the corner of the room.

"It will be only for this one night! Please Master…!"

"We're not that hospitable for someone who breaks into our castle!" a low, snarling voice yelled. Growling fulfilled the room and at the moment Ansem was begging mercy from a hideous beast that was holding its sharp claws on man's neck.

"I-I will never tell anyone about this place…!" Ansem tried. "Please, just let me leave…!"

The beast's growling began to sound like a vicious laughing of a maniac.

"You really think you'll be ever leaving this place?!"

After those words Ansem was dragged away. Axel, who had just been too scared to defy the Masters of the castle again, gritted his teeth. It was all he could do at the moment.

"_We must punish you for your idiocy_", the voice told.

"Yes, Master Xemnas", Axel whispered, avoiding the glowing amber eyes in the darkness, and left the room, following the Beast.

When Demyx instead came back to the room with a pot of tea, he was shocked the room was empty. The chair had turned over and the fireplace was dying out.

"Axel…? Old man…?" he called, looking around the room. "Oh god… No…"

-o-o-o-o-o-

Ansem had left his home only yesterday but their apartment looked like he had been gone much longer than that. He wasn't the most organized person, more like very eccentric and, well, messy. Saïx and Riku had used most of the yesterday cleaning the mess in his workshop. Saïx had left to the marketplace a while ago, leaving Riku to read his book at leisure. A knock came from the door, and Riku left his book opened on the table, walking to open the door. Saïx wouldn't knock, that's what he knew. Riku opened the door just to face Marluxia. The pinkette entered the house before Riku had time to ask what he was doing there, leaving the door open.

"Hello, Riku dear!" Marluxia chanted, smiling to the whitette.

"What are you doing here Marluxia?" Riku asked, grimacing. Why Marluxia had to pop out from nowhere always when Saïx wasn't around?

The pinkette grinned. "Isn't it obvious, Riku? I'm here to propose you! I have everything ready for our wedding! The flowers, the guests, the cake, did I mention the flowers?"

"Well, you did mention but…"

"Imagine that, our little house full of beautiful flowers, porcelain tableware served to the table, we together watching over our little ones playing on the floor with the dogs. We'll have 6 or 7 for sure!"

Riku glared at the over-exited man. "Dogs…?"

"No, sweetie! Beautiful children of course!"

"Did you take into account, _Marluxia,_ that we're both guys?" Riku reminded the pinkette. Marluxia was already causing him a headache.

"That's what Larxene is for!" the gardener chuckled, making Riku want to vomit. Riku hated Larxene almost as much as he hated Marluxia, and having threesome with those two had never even crossed his mind, not even in his wildest nightmares. Marluxia sat down at the table, giving a disgust look at the book before smiling at Riku.

"I love you, Riku", he said in his creepy, possessive tone. "Will _you_ marry me?"

"Marluxia… I…" Riku mumbled. It was hard to form words and even harder to form sentences. "I'm speechless…"

"Just one word, Riku", Marluxia told, licking his lips. "Say yes."

"_No_."

Riku and Marluxia glanced at the blunette who had answered to Marluxia. Saïx pressed his hand on Marluxia's shoulder, making the pinkette let out a squeak.

"Oh hi, Saïx", Marluxia noted, a drop of sweat rolling down his cheek. "I didn't expect to see you here. Not so soon, at least."

"Marluxia", the slightly taller man snarled. "Get out."

Reluctantly the gardener got going and Riku was able to breathe evenly again.

"That was close", the whitette mumbled.

"You should be ashamed that I had to come back to save you", Saïx pointed out. He had seen Larxene and Xigbar without Marluxia while he was on his way to the market. It hadn't felt quite right and he had decided to go back to check was Riku in trouble.

"Well I didn't ask you to leave me here alone at the first place, either", Riku snorted.

"I thought you can handle a moment without me", the blunette teased. "But now when you have time you could help me a little and feed the chickens. I have to go back to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner."

Riku rolled his eyes, smirking a bit. "Whatever."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku went to outside, glancing around the yard. No signs of Marluxia. He shivered thanks to an idea of Marluxia stalking him, and went to get a basket of birdseeds from the shed before stepping into the chicken pen. He sticked his tongue out, talking to the birds. "Can't you believe me? Marluxia asked me to marry him!" he ranted. "Me? With that freakish, flower-loving jerk… No thanks!" Chickens cackled, not understanding a single word Riku was saying. Riku sat on the fence.

"You are lucky", he said, smirking a bit mockingly. "Hey, can't you just see it? Me and Marluxia, playing husband and _wife_. No, sir, not me. I guarantee it. I want much more then this provincial life!" He left basket on the top of a barrel and climbed to the roof. As the wind blew through his hair he sighed.  
"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere", he sung quietly. "I want it more than life can tell. And for once it might be grand to have someone understand… I want so much more then they've got planned…!"

After a quite long moment of sitting up there and thinking he was brought back to earth by Saïx.

"Riku, come down!" the blunette yelled, clearly worried. "It's Zero!"

Glancing towards the woods Riku was able to see their horse running wildly back to the yard and neighing loudly. It was still pulling the cart behind itself but there was no sign of their father. As Riku climbed down, Saïx was already calming Zero down and checking it out for injuries.

"Is Zero okay? And where's father?" Riku asked. Saïx shook his head, running his pale fingers on the steed's side. Zero was strong and quick, some another horse could have looked much worse after almost getting eaten alive.

"Wolves", Saïx said, looking at the younger. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to look for him!" Riku said and unclipped the cart, hopping onto the horse's back. "I'm sure Zero knows the way!"

Saïx grimaced. "Calm down a bit. I'll go get Luna, and then we'll go."

Riku nodded. Luna was the other of their horses, a white mare, but it was more erratic than Zero. Luna reared onto his back legs as Saïx had climbed on its back.

"Easy now, girl", Saïx mumbled. "I promise you a carrot when we get back home."

Luna neighed at the comment, almost like understanding what its rider meant. Saïx gave it slight smile before looking at Riku. "We're ready."

The whitette whispered something to Zero and the steed began running the way it had come, Luna following it. The horses didn't stop until they reached the metal gate after a long time running. Zero had whinnied nervously nearly all the time after they had taken the left path.

Riku raised an eyebrow, looking through the gate. "Did father get in there?"

"I guess so", Saïx noted, hopping off from Luna's back and going to open the gate. It made a loud, creaky sound as it was pushed open. "Are you coming?"

"Yes", Riku snorted, settling himself down from Zero. Saïx closed the gate as they had gone to the courtyard. They left Zero and Luna there when approached the massive door of the castle.

"Creepy", the blunette said, looking up at the castle. It wasn't even night yet and still the castle looked dark and very uninviting. "Well, Riku, are you afraid?"

"Are you?" Riku snapped back.

"No."

"Then you'll get to open the door."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: So this was the chapter 1. I really would like to read what you think of it. Was it good? Was it bad? Constructive criticism and reviews are always appreciated~


	2. Chapter 1-2

Chapter 2. Encounters

Saïx pushed slowly the door open, entering to the castle. Riku followed right after him.

"Creepier", Saïx said with frown. The air was stuffy and it was too hard to see much.

"Anyone here?" Riku called, wandering around the hall. "We're looking for our father. Old man, blonde hair and a beard. Has anyone seen him?"

"It's no use, Riku", the blunette sighed. "If someone would have noticed us, or if someone even lives here, they had already come to us. So if father is here we'll have to find him on our own."

Riku snorted. Why didn't that man pick a nice, sunlit mansion to stay a night? No, it had to be an abandoned castle in a dark forest. Riku listened carefully if he could be able to hear any signs of life but no. There was just sound of water dropping from somewhere. Evening was quickly turning to night. They looked around the rooms at downstairs before continuing to upstairs, wondering would they continue to left or right. Riku stopped, looking at the right.

"I heard it again", he said.

Saïx glanced at him. "Heard what?"

"That sound… It's like water is dropping."

"Somewhere must be a leak", Saïx noted.

"No, I heard it earlier at the hall, too", Riku told, listening. "I think we should go right."

"Because of the sound of water dropping?" the older doubted, rolling his eyes. But if they really had to search the whole castle they could as well go where Riku wanted. "Well, I don't see why we can't take a look."

Riku followed the sound to a tower, Saïx coming right behind him. The tower was chilly and as spooky as the rest of the parts of the castle they had seen. Webs, dust, meanly smirking stone creatures. But the difference from the other rooms was that the tower was actually full of cells.

"Father, are you here?" Riku called once more, partly hoping he wouldn't hear his father's voice in such a horrible part of the castle. Slight coughing came from the one of the cells.

"Riku…?" Ansem called with a raspy voice. "Saïx…? Are you both here?"

Riku hurried to the cell's door. "Oh god, you're okay", he whispered, looking at their pale father from the small, barred window on the door. "We'll get you out."

Ansem shook his head. "No! You must get out from here! Now! Before they come back!"

"Who come back? Father, who did this to you?!" Riku shouted a question.

"I don't have time to explain", Ansem said, coughing some more. "Just leave before…!"

"Riku, move aside", Saïx commanded suddenly. "I'll break that-"

As soon as Riku had retreated from the door they heard a loud, sanguinary growl from the shadows. It frightened the brothers immediately.

"They're back…!" Ansem cried out, more scared than his sons. Saïx stepped in front of Riku, protecting him, and growling back.

"You two", the deep voice snarled. "Leave now!"

Riku was, as well as Saïx, able to see something big moving in the shadows. It was bigger than a bear and its eyes were glowing fiercely from the darkness. A monster, Saïx thought as an insolent idea arose in his mind.

"Not without our father!" Riku insisted, making the creature glare more viciously at them. He got a glance of the Beast's gleaming, golden eyes.

"_He's our prisoner_", a different, monotone voice told. "_And I don't consider letting him go as an option._"

"But he's sick and needs treatment!"

"Well he should have thought that before he trespassed our castle!" the more monstrous voice told. "Now leave before I-!"

Saïx suddenly stepped forward, looking at the darkness. "I'll take his place", he suggested, his voice steady. "Let my father and brother go."

"Shut up, Saïx!" Riku yelled, angered. "We three will leave here now!"

"_Not so fast"_, another voice said, a slight amusement in his voice. "_This is just getting interesting. Saïx, was it? Why would you stay here instead?_"

"It will be a fair trade", the blunette said, ignoring the actual question. "Let them go."

Riku jerked Saïx's sleeve, frowning and shaking his head angrily. "No", the younger hissed and the older just quickly glanced at him.

Saïx looked back at the shadows again. "Come to the light."

There was chuckling as the voice talked again. "_Are you giving orders to us?_"

"Please", Saïx added reluctantly. He hated being so submissive. Riku instead had become more enraged because of his brother's sudden self-sacrifice.

"This is insane!" he shouted.

"Insane, eh?" the more raspy voice repeated. The dark figure stepped forward from the darkness, letting the moonlight lit his form. Riku gasped, turning his eyes away. It was more an animal than a man. Dark brown fur covered it from its head to its toes with the exception of its silver-colored mane which had feather-like spikes on the top. It had golden eyes and mouth full of sharp fangs. Regardless it walked on two legs and wore worn human's clothes with a black and white cape. "Don't like what you see? This is what I call _insane_."

"Saïx, I have lived my life, just take Riku with you and leave this place!" Ansem begged, but his older son shook his head.

"You have my word", the blunette said.

"_Then it's a deal._"

The Beast yanked the door open and grabbed Ansem violently from the cell. Riku looked first at their father, then at Saïx. The blunette just stood there, emotionless. Riku knew he wouldn't live with his full heart in the town without his brother, albeit how much he loved their father. So he stood up, glancing at the hideous beast.

"No!" the whitette yelled and caught a hold of the monster's paw, making the monster twitch because of a sudden touch. "I'll… I'll leave here with my brother! Just let our father go!"

Ansem the Wise's eyes widened in shock. "Anything but that…! Not my sons!" he cried out as the Beast still had his hold on him. The monster glared at the shadows, askingly.

"_Two is better than one_", the voice from the darkness said, making the monster smirk viciously. It started to drag the old man down to stairs, letting the old man repeat countless pleas to let his sons go. The shadows lingered behind the Beast, leaving Riku and Saïx at the tower alone. At the hall monster growled.

"Xaldin! Take this man back to the village", the Beast ordered, one of its servants appearing from a corridor. "And make sure he doesn't come back!"

As the old man was escorted from the castle and the masters of the castle were returning back to the tower, Demyx came out of his hiding place.

"Masters", he whined, approaching his masters warily. "It might be better if you offer them a better room. I mean, it seems they are staying here a while."

The shadowy figure chuckled coldly. "_Do you really think we don't know it was you who lead them to the tower, Demyx?"_

"I-I'm sorry", the water boy whimpered, following them without another word.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

In the tower Riku yelled to Saïx.

"Why you had to try act like you were some kind of hero!?" he cried out mockingly.

"I'm not a hero! I'm the complete opposite! I never asked you to stay here with me!" Saïx shouted back. "_I_ had _nothing_ to lose unlike _you_! The townsfolk hate me!"

"Well, that doesn't mean you-!"

"Please, keep it down, will you?" an annoyed voice mumbled, interrupting the brothers. Riku and Saïx looked at the flame man who was sitting at the cell where their father had also been. He lighted the cell up with little flames and grinned as the brothers stepped into the small room.

"Who are you?" Riku blurted out. "And how long have you been there?"

"Name is Axel, get it memorized", the man replied, grinning carelessly. "And I guess you mean were I here when the show started. Yup, I was here from the start. And you both were very brave. I couldn't have done anything like-"

He silenced as the Beast came back, snarling dangerously, and for some reason the shadow wasn't with him. Demyx walked behind the Beast, waving to Axel slightly. He was afraid that Axel was mad at him for leaving him to be the one who was punished.

"You two, follow me", the Beast ordered. "I'll show your room."

Riku blinked. "What do you mean we have a room?"

"You want to stay here?!" the monster roared, making Riku shook his head. "Then come with me. And Axel, your punishment has ended."

The flame man quickly stood up and walked to Demyx. They exchanged relieved glances but nothing more. Axel nodded to the brothers that it was better to follow them. And so they did. Riku frowned at Saïx, still angry of how his brother had acted. They could have escaped together. The silence was awkward. Axel walked in front of the others, lighting the dark corridors up. Demyx whispered to the Beast.

"Um, Master, say something to them", he whined pleadingly, trying to smile a little. "It would be better to get known to them."

The monster glared at the poor boy murderously, giving a low snarl in response. But against all expectations the Beast looked over its shoulder at Riku and Saïx. They walked as far from each other as they could. The creature almost forgot its idea of what actually say while he watched their mutual feud.

"I hope", the Beast started. "You'll like it in here. This castle is your home now so you're free to go anywhere. Except to the West Wing."

"What's in the West Wing?" Riku asked, slightly curious. The monster halted and turned to the whitette its eyes gleaming.

"It's _forbidden_!" it growled loudly at the boy. The silence continued until Axel stopped in front of a pair of white wooden doors. The Beast opened one of them and glared at his _guests _as a sign for them to step in.

"This will be your room from now on", it growled viciously, letting Riku and Saïx get to the large bedroom.

Demyx jerked the monster's cape. "Dinner, Master! Invite them for dinner", he suggested warily with a kind smile. The Beast glanced at the brothers, growling as he pondered what to say.

"You will join us for dinner", he snarled, showing its sharp teeth as he continued. "And that wasn't a request!"

The door was slammed closed, leaving Riku and Saïx alone at the room. The younger laid himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Well that was just great", he mumbled sarcastically. The older stood at the door, giving the whitette a soft glare.

"I'm sorry to get you involved in this", he said. Riku shook his head.

"I just overreacted", the younger sighed, moving to a sitting position. "But we'll have to get out from here as soon as possible."

Saïx nodded. "As soon as possible", he repeated.

-o-o-o-o-o-

They sat on the bed, planning for an escape when someone knocked door.

"Who's there?" Riku asked.

The door opened and the water boy, they had already seen, came in. He was followed by a blonde man who had a tray and a pot of tea. The blonde smiled gently and closed the door behind himself before talking.

"'Ello, dear", he greeted in a weird accent. "I heard we have visitors so I thought you wouldn't mind a warm cup of tea before dinner."

Riku stared surprisedly at the servants but after seeing a monster and a talking shadow they didn't startle him so much after all. The blonde was shorter than Saïx and few earrings hang from his ears. He looked somehow sickly thin and light, almost papery. The brunette instead seemed healthy, except for the fact he was mostly covered with water.

"I hadn't a chance to introduce myself earlier", the childishly smiling water boy told. "I'm Demyx. And that's Luxord, our cook."

Luxord gave the tray to Demyx that he could very politely shake hands with the guests. "This is an honor", he said, taking Riku's hand and accidentally cutting it. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

Riku looked his hand, disbelieving. "A paper cut?"

"Everyone has faults, dear. And I'm a secondary cook, to be exact. Xaldin does most of the work", Luxord noted with a pout and poured tea into two cups. Saïx refused to drink anything but Riku picked up a teacup. Riku nodded.

"So, this castle is enchanted", the whitette said, taking a sip of his tea.

Demyx winced. "Wha-what makes you think so? We're completely normal! And so is this castle!"

"You suck at lying", Saïx sneered, making the water boy whimper.

"Enough of this dears", Luxord hummed, petting Demyx's hair and changed the subject. "Are you ready for dinner?"

Saïx raised his eyebrow and frowned. "We're not going to dinner."

Right after those words there was tapping on the door and Axel came in, coughing couple times before grinning widely. "Dinner is served."

-o-o-o-o-o-

The Beast walked around the dining hall, snarling and growling. The shadowy figure instead was calmly next to the fireplace. "_They're taking their time_", it remarked. One servant was standing next to the table. It was a short boy with a mercurial appearance and bluish gray hair, hiding his left eye, and he talked quietly.

"There might be a chance that another one of them will be the one to break the spells", he said, gaining a dead glare and loud vicious growl from the Beast.

"Do you think I'm stupid, Zexion!?" it snarled. "Of course I have! But none of them is a girl"

"You're right, Master, none of them is", the servant said. "But the Witch didn't specify the gender so in theory it shouldn't matter but in this case such immature thing like love is in my opinion-"

The Beast let out a loud snarl. "If it _would_ be _that_ easy I-"

The door creaked open and everyone in the dining hall turned their eyes to see the guests but there were only Axel and Demyx.

"Master", Axel stated as calmly as he at the moment could. "There is one little problem… They're not coming."

"_They're not coming_?" the shadow repeated a hint of amusement audible in his tone. The Beast hadn't been as patient in years, and now he was told the guests aren't even coming. He roared and left the dining hall, Axel and Demyx following him and run straight to the East Wing where the given room was, and hitted the room's door furiously.

"Why you won't join us for dinner?!" it roared.

"We're not hungry", Riku announced through the door. Axel and Demyx had caught up the Beast and they looked worriedly one another when their Master began to compose threats.

"I'll break this door and force you to eat if you won't come out this instant!"

"Wait, Master", Zexion suggested, walking calmly up the stairs. "You have to be polite to them. If you really want to try to win _affection _for the reasons we don't talk about."

Axel gulped. Zexion was being a bit too commanding again. It would be only matter of time when the Master gets tired of his advice.

The Beast grimaced before talking. "It would be an honor", he stated, gritting his teeth. "If you were to join us for dinner."

"We're not coming", Saïx hissed, making the Beast let out another roar.

"_Calm down, brother_", the shadow talked, appearing from the darkness of the corridor.

"But they are being so stubborn!" the monster replied angrily.

"_Would you two kindly pleasure us with your presence and join us for the dinner_", the shadow tried. "_Please?_"

"No."

The Beast roared in the great anger and yelled through the door once more. The shadow chuckled coldly when it had heard the refusal again.

"_Well, then_", it hummed. "_If you don't eat with us…_"

"… You don't eat at all!" the Beast completed the sentence with a furious roar. "Stay there and starve!"

"_Make sure they don't wander on their own_", the shadow said, its golden eyes locked on Zexion. The Beast stormed off, the shadow lingering back to darkness where it had come.

"Well, that went fine", Axel snorted, shooting Zexion with a glare.

"I _tried_", Zexion said with a snort. "Now, excuse me. You two could keep eye on that door. I have something better to do than be a babysitter."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The Beast went back to its chamber, slamming the door behind itself and looking at the rose that the Witch had given them. It had already melted and lost some petals. Time was running short. The Beast grabbed the magical mirror from the stand, growling to it.

"Show me them", he roared and soon it showed instead of the Beast's hideous appearance an image of the room where Riku and Saïx were talking to Axel and Demyx.

"Cheer up a little", Demyx hummed. "They're not so bad once you get to known them. You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance."

Saïx snorted. "Don't lie to us if you don't know how to do it."

"It's not a lie", the water boy said with a pout.

"I don't even want to get known to them", Riku continued, lying on the bed. "A beast and a talking shadow. Uh-huh, I'm not interested. Especially not in that monster… I already hate him for what he did to our father! We didn't even get to say goodbyes properly!"

"Well, Master Ansem is what he is", Axel yawned. "Can't do anything to that."

Riku stared at Axel. "What did you said that monster's name was?!" he shouted in shock.

"Master Ansem", Axel repeated quickly, surprised of Riku's change of tone. "The shadow instead is called Master Xemnas."

Saïx gritted his teeth, like he did most of the time when something bothered him, and made Demyx seemingly curious. "What's the matter?" the water boy asked.

"Our father's name is Ansem, too", Saïx told.

"And that makes me hate that monster even more", Riku whispered.

"Could you leave us now?" the blunette asked, and Axel and Demyx left the room.

In his chamber the Beast growled, sighing at Riku's words and put the mirror away.

"_Do I sense disappointment?_" the shadow asked, appearing from the corner.

"You were here all the time, Xemnas", the Beast growled, touching its paw. "So don't ask."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Back in that poor provincial village Riku and especially Saïx hated so much Marluxia was sitting at the inn. He was furious. "Who does Saïx think he is? Interrupting my proposal like that! Riku was almost tied around my fingers!"

"Yes, he was", Larxene agreed with a nod, offering Marluxia a cup of sake which the pinkette drank at the instant. He tossed the empty cup to the floor, crying out loud.

"No one, and I mean no one, says 'no' to me! Dismissed? Rejected? Publicly humiliated! For God's sake!"

Larxene shrugged, offering another cup to the man. "More sake?"

"What for?! Nothing helps!" Marluxia shrieked and in contrary to his words he took the bottle from the blonde. "I'm disgraced!"

"Who, you? Never! Marly, you've got to pull yourself together", Larxene said, sitting on the arm of the pinkette's chair. "Oh, it disturbs me to see you, honey, looking so down in the dumps."

She smiled, beckoning Xigbar to sing, too.

"Every guy here'd love to be ya, Mar", Xigbar hummed, holding a glass of beer. "Even when taking your lumps."

"There's no man in town as admired as you", Larxene chuckled.

"You're ev'ryone's favorite guy", Xigbar added.

"Ev'ryone's awed and inspired by you", the blonde chanted, ruffling the pinkette's hair and chuckling. "And it's not very hard to see why…!"

The people of the inn joined the song. "No one's foxy as Marly, no one's handsome as Marly, no one's hair is as posh as Marly's! For there's no man, nor woman, here as charming as Marluxia!"

"You're perfect, a purely beautiful", Larxene coaxed, pecking a kiss to Marluxia. Xigbar hiccupped, as he clacked his refilled beer glass together with some other men and continued the song. "You can ask Hayner, Cid or Sephy… Hic…! And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on!"

The cheering spectators hummed together. "No one's been like Marly, a cutie like Marly, and no one's got a perfectly smooth skin like Marly!"

Marluxia smiled widely, holding the bottle of sake and standing on the chair. "Yes, in this town I'm the most beautiful!"

"Marluxia is the best and the rest are just vain!" Larxene clamored, raising her glass. The hoorays belted out and the singing continued.

"No one flirts like Marly, tempts us like Marly, in this town there's only Marly who has eyes sparkling like stars! For there's no one as subtle and sweet...!"

"As you see I've got my looks from the God!" the pinkette chuckled.

"Not a bit of him is nasty or grimy", Xigbar crooned, making Marluxia nod.

"And I share for little girls beauty tips!" he hummed, running a hand through his petal pink hair.

"No one breezy as Marly, has a floral scent like Marly, in this town no one's as reliable as Marly!"

"He's especially good at French kissing", Larxene proudly announced, winking at the audience.

"Ten points for Marly!"

Marluxia sat back down to his chair and, looking in his sake bottle and finding it empty, he sighed. "When I was a kid I spent hours alone, trying to find the right one for me", he said. "And now that I'm here watching you guys, I know I haven't given up on Riku!"

"No one is like Marly, makes a show like Marly, and never leaves us without entertaining that Marly!"

Marluxia smirked, looking over the inn and Larxene dancing on the table. "Still I can use you all to get what I want…!"

"Say it again!" the blonde chanted. "Who's a man among men? And then say it once more! Who's the hero next door? Who's a super success? Don't you know? Can't you guess?"

Hiccupping Xigbar raised his beer glass once more, joining in Larxene's song. "There's just one guy in town who's got all of it down…! And his name's…!"

"Marluxia!" the audience cheered. The song ended as the old Ansem the Wise suddenly slammed the door of the inn wide open and yelled in shock.

"I need your help!" he cried out. "My son sons have been taken by a Beast!"

Everyone silenced for a moment before they began to laugh.

"Was it a big beast?" Xigbar asked, playfully grabbing his gun and pointing the old man with it. "With… hic… sharp teeth and stuff?"

"It was enormous!" the old man Ansem told. "Worse than a bear! And more dangerous!"

"And I thought Xigbar has drunk a lot", Larxene mocked. "Did you hit your head or something?"

"Yeah! Go away to tell your stories!" the people of the inn yelled, mocking the old man and finally pushing him out of the building.

"Crazy old Ansem", they laughed. "He's not so wise after all."

Marluxia moved his hand to his chin, smiling a little. "Crazy old Ansem, eh? Crazy old Ansem, aha", he hummed, beckoning Larxene and Xigbar to come to him.

"What now?" the blonde asked. Xigbar stood next to her, drinking a new glass of beer.

"Larxene, Xigbar, I'm afraid I've been thinking", Marluxia told.

Xigbar gulped. "As if, that's such a dangerous past time!"

Marluxia gave a nod. "I know. But that old man is part of my Riku's family", the pinkette said with a mean smile. "And his sanity is only so-so. Saïx might be as crazy as him but Riku is not so dumb. Now the wheels in my head have been turning, as I looked at that loony old man, you see, I made a vow I'd be married to Riku, and now I am forming a plan!"

Larxene moved closer to Marluxia, pulling Xigbar with her. The gardener began to whisper his plan, making Larxene smirk.

"What a dangerous past time, indeed."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: I personally dislike that last song but well... =u=" Comments are appreciated~


	3. Chapter 1-3

A/N: Here's the new chapter. I'm sorry that it took so long. But special thanks to lovely Senjuina for betaing~

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 3. Be Our Guest

Hours passed. When he heard a loud growl, Saïx raised an eyebrow, glancing at his brother.

"Are you hungry?" the blunette asked.

"A bit," Riku admitted, tossing the pillow to the ceiling. "It's late and I haven't eaten since morning."

"Should we go to get something for you?"

The whitette grimaced. "The _monsters_ told us to stay here and starve."

"Don't be stupid. We're _guests_," Saïx reminded with a smirk, rolling his yellow eyes. The door creaked open as the brothers left the room. No one was in the corridor, so they headed towards where they thought the kitchen could be.

"This is scandalous!" a voice they had never heard before yelled, making the windows clatter in sudden wind. "I came back from the village as soon as I could and then worked hard to make a splendid meal for our Masters and the guests and what do I hear?! They won't even eat!"

"Don't be mad, Xaldin," Demyx said, sitting on the table and looking at the furious man. "Masters are volatile and our guests-"

"Um, excuse me?" Riku said, appearing at the kitchen door. Saïx poked his side as a sign for him to continue. "I'm a little hungry."

The man who had black dreadlocks dangling in the air at the every direction looked at him murderously, holding a kitchen knife. It wouldn't be a surprise if he let a tornado loose in the kitchen. "You didn't eat when I cooked and now-!"

"Xaldin, dear, put that knife away," Luxord said, hugging Riku from behind. He glanced at Xaldin. "Don't you see you're scaring our guests?"

Xaldin gave an annoyed sigh. "Well then, a piece of bread and a glass of water and that'll be good enough. I don't want to face the Masters just because of some brats."

"But they are guests! Don't be such a meanie!" Demyx whimpered, pouting a bit. Luxord nodded in agreement.

"We can't let them starve," he said, letting go of Riku, this time not leaving paper cuts. "Demyx, hon. Lead our guests to the dining room. I'll be there before you can say 'fair game'."

The water boy led Riku and Saïx to the dining hall. The whitette sat down at the large table, beckoning Saïx to do the same. The taller one of the two rolled his eyes.

"I prefer not to," he said. "I'm not that hungry. I think I'll just… wander around a little."

Demyx smiled. "Don't get lost," he noted. "And remember; don't go to the West Wing."

"I'm not that stupid," Saïx told, giving a shrug. "I have no intention of meeting the monsters. Take care, Riku."

The younger groaned a little, waving his hand. "I always do."

Saïx smirked, walking off. Luxord came back into the hall just seconds later.

"Where did wolfie go?" he asked, looking around almost comically.

"Wolfie?" Riku repeated unbelievingly. Saïx would have torn Luxord's heart out for giving him such a ridiculous pet name. "He wasn't hungry."

"That's a pity!" Luxord pouted, shaking his head. But then he suddenly looked happier. "Oh, but hon, we have you here." He coughed. "It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax as the dining room proudly presents your dinner!"

Riku's eyes widened when moving dishes and cutlery run from the kitchen and jumped on the table, serving all kinds of delicious dishes. Riku had been more than right that the castle was truly magical.

Luxord hummed, giving Riku a white lace trimmed napkin. "Tie your napkin 'round your neck, dear, and we provide the rest." Riku looked around the table, trying to recognize the different courses. Demyx helped him with that.

"Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres, beef ragout," the water boy told gladly the fine names of each serving and smiled. "Try this grey stuff, it's delicious!"

"And the dinner here is never second best! We're happy to have you as our guest," Luxord told with a bright smile. "So please, enjoy this culinary cabaret!"  
While Riku tried to choose between everything Demyx suggested for him, Xaldin came out of the kitchen with a rag, seemingly still slightly pissed off. He walked to the table and looked at Riku, a hint of glee in his eyes.

"I hope you're enjoying your meal," he snarled with a smirk, hands on Riku's shoulders. "Here it can be your last."

"Again scaring the poor child, are you?" Luxord said with a pout and rolled his eyes. "Masters won't hurt our guests, and so won't you. Stop being so gloomy."

"I'm not gloomy! You're just over-actively happy," Xaldin insulted the blonde. "We're all getting in trouble because of this."

Riku glanced up. "Hey, I promise this won't cause any harm," he said to Xaldin, gaining a glare. "I was just hungry, okay? No big deal."

"It's a bigger deal than you think," the dreadlocked man snarled back, and yet he gave a smirk. Or was it a smile? "But fine. Continue. Do what you want. At least my cooking is well done."

"I can agree with that!" Demyx laughed, shaking a bottle of champagne and tossing it to Xaldin. "And so you can open this! The bubbles are the best!"

"And it's all in perfect taste," Xaldin told, smiling now a bit more. "That you can bet." There was a loud pop as Xaldin opened the bottle and poured it into Riku's glass.

Luxord smiled. "Come on, Riku, and lift your glass!"

"You've won your own free pass to be our guest!" Demyx giggled. Riku giggled as well, at the same time hoping that the champagne was non-alcoholic. Really, Saïx would kill him for drinking anything stronger than tea.

"I guess you try to serve the monsters well," Riku hummed, taking a sip. "But they must be hard to please, aren't they?"

There was a moment of silence before Xaldin began to speak quietly, like telling a story. "They are. And that's why our life is pretty unnerving. There were a few good days, years ago if I could recall. But those days were gone in a moment."  
Demyx let out a whimper. "I know it was my fault," he sighed. "Being too naive and well, me…"

"Oh no, dear," Luxord consoled the boy. "It was going to happen sooner or later. But still, we need so much more than we get. Rights, a chance to share a comment. Most days we just hang around the castle."

Xaldin smirked at Riku. "And then you two walked in and our Masters went all oopsie-daisy!"

"Look, it's our guest!" Axel chanted, joining the others in the dining room. No one asked where he had been but it made the atmosphere more relaxed. It was more like a sign to Luxord to end the main course.

"I think it's time for dessert and tea, and my dear that's fine with me," he hummed, rushing back to the kitchen. "I'll be back, hon, I'll get you a bun!"

"You're all crazy!" Riku laughed. Maybe the champagne wasn't really alcohol-free.

Axel gave a shrug, grinning widely. "Your request is our command; it's been years since we've had anybody here," he said, taking an empty, yet moving teacup from the table. "And about these _objects_… They do as we tell. Being enchanted is like that."

"Well, the food's delicious," Riku said, making Xaldin smirk proudly. The whitette pushed the third portion of ratatouille away. Geez, how did they make vegetables taste so good? "But I'm full."

"You'd better eat the dessert, too," Xaldin warned, a few dishes nodding vigorously. "If you don't want to make Luxord mad."

"Oh, please," Riku whined. "What would be the worst what could happen?"

Axel smirked at the innocent question. "He'll force you to drink the tea he made and shove the bun to your throat. I'll be out of here before it happens."

-o-o-o-o-o-

After Saïx had left Riku in the dining hall to eat and have some fun, he went wandering; and for him, the first thing to do was to check on their horses, Zero and Luna. Or that would have been his excuse if someone had asked. All he really wanted was to find out if there was a chance to escape without using the main gate.

"Nothing," he sighed when he had walked around the castle and returned to the front garden. The gate was the only way out. Or well, not the only one. Saïx could have climbed over the wall, but Riku probably wouldn't. That kid barely made it to the roof of their home without ladders. Saïx chuckled at the memory of Riku trying it a few years back.

"_What's so funny?_" the shadow asked, appearing out of nowhere like always.

"Were you stalking me?" Saïx replied with a question. Surprisingly, it didn't piss the monster off. Instead it made Xemnas chuckle.

"_It's not very polite to answer a question with a question._"

"Then I must say I'm not very _polite_," the blunette said with a smirk.

"_You're interesting_," the shadow chuckled, following the man to the horses.

"Well you're not very interesting, _Xemnas_," Saïx groaned. "You're annoying."

The shadow halted. "_What did you just say?_"

"I said you're annoying," Saïx repeated, patting Zero's neck to calm it down. Xemnas' presence seemed to make it nervous.

"_And what makes you think so?_" Xemnas asked, hiding that he was more surprised than angry.

"I can't read you," was the honest reply.

"_Read me?_"

Saïx gave a nod. "But it shouldn't interest you."

"_Trust me, it interests me very much._"

The blunette snorted, looking away from the Master of the castle. "Good for you then."

"_I'm being very patient with you, but you're slowly getting on my nerves_," Xemnas growled disappointed. Saïx turned to the shadowy figure to comment but he silenced himself to look at the other. There weren't many human features visible except the piercing golden eyes, nor was there really a chance to get a better picture anyway. It was unable to see what was Xemnas' skin or hair colour, or what kind of lineaments he had, or whether he was muscular or not. Saïx sighed, annoyed.

"_Well, I apologize for looking like this_," Xemnas said sarcastically.

"I didn't say anything about your looks," the blunette replied. "I just tried to read you again."

"_What did you see, then?_" the shadow asked, failing to hide his curiosity. Saïx didn't reply so Xemnas decided to try to force the answer out in another way.

"_You're so pure. Why did you want to stay here instead of your father? Was it because of that love people talk about so fondly?_" he snarled, his eyes locked on Saïx. The blunette raised his hand to touch his scar and with a sigh he looked up at the shadow man.

"No, I'm not pure," Saïx stated calmly. "I just didn't feel so disgusting or weird here, that's all. I'm just as selfish as any other person." The blunette glanced at the sky. "It will be snowing tonight."

The conversation was over.

-o-o-o-o-o-

At least Axel had done something right when he had fled before the desserts were sent out. Luxord smiled widely, holding a teapot. "Come on, dear, one more cup won't hurt," the blonde hummed and poured Riku the seventeenth cup of tea. He was almost worse than the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. Riku pouted, his mouth full of dessert.

"I can't drink anymore," the whitette mumbled, swallowing the rest of the cheese cake. "But I really should go back to our room…"

"Don't be stupid, dear!" Luxord chided, holding his hand on his hips. "You haven't even tried the rum cake yet!"

Xaldin rolled his eyes. "Riku's our guest, not a fatling," he told. "You can make him a three course meal tomorrow for breakfast but now let the poor boy go!"

Luxord faked some tears, looking at the lot taller man with puppy dog eyes. "How could you say that…?" he whimpered.

"Don't look at me like that," Xaldin snarled. "I'm not going to fall to that trick anymore."

"Oh, yes, you will," Luxord said with a smirk through his crocodile tears.

"No, I won't."

"You will!"

"I won't! Goddamn it!"

"You want to fight?"

"Bring it on!"

Demyx giggled and took Riku's hand. "Let's sneak away now," the water-boy said with a smile. Riku nodded vigorously. One more cup of tea or piece of cake and he would have puked. They left the dining room, leaving Luxord and Xaldin arguing childishly. Riku yawned, making the water boy giggle.

"It seems like your bedtime has come already" Demyx noted, walking next to Riku. "It has been a long day."

Riku nodded. "I'm exhausted," the whitette admitted.

"Well, it's your first day here. Oh, I know!" Demyx chirped. "I'll give you a reward! Ask anything and I'll answer!"

The whitette raised an eyebrow, surprised of a sudden suggestion. He thought about what he wanted to know the most.

"This castle is enchanted, right? Riku noted. "Has it always been like that? Living dishes and all."

"I-I don't know should I really tell you that," the water boy mumbled. He was ashamed of the question even though he had already as a matter of fact told it had been partially his fault.

Riku smiled. "Okay, so it's a secret. May I ask something else instead?"

"Yeah, anything but that," Demyx said, relieved.

"Well, what is in the Wes-"

"There you are," Saïx snarled, catching Riku from the back of his collar. "I came to get you from the kitchen but you weren't there. Instead there was a poker match going on." The bluenette rubbed his forehead. "And you don't want to know more. But you look full."

"You have no idea," Riku mumbled. "But Demyx, about that que-"

"Hi, wolfie! You're looking lively," Demyx greeted using the name Luxord had given to Saïx, making the blunette glare at him. "Ups, sorry! I didn't mean to…"

The blunette sighed. "Use my real name, not some weird pet name," he snarled coldly. Demyx stayed silent when he led the brothers back to their room and Riku didn't get another chance to ask questions. As the door was closed, Riku crossed his arms, looking at Saïx.

"Why were you so calm when Demyx called you wolfie?" he asked sceptically. "Usually you would have bitten someone's head of for giving you a nickname."

"I have a lot in my mind," was the reply. "I just didn't care enough. I just want to sleep right now."

Accepting the answer with a shrug Riku pointed out a self-evident fact. "There's only one bed."

"I'm not blind," Saïx noted. "And you'll take it."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because you lie on it all the time and if there are lice and bedbugs, they will affect you, not me."

"Bastard."

-o-o-o-o-o-

The sun had risen hours ago and it gleamed brightly through the half-closed curtains to a certain bedroom. Riku blinked couple times and yawned, looking around the room. Dark red curtains, expensive looking wallpaper, mahogany furniture.

"Oh, I forgot," he sighed, noticing where he was. He sat up, looking out from the window. It had been snowing at night, just like Saïx had predicted, and piles of snow shrouded the yard. Just yesterday, he had been worrying about simple things, like Marluxia's proposal and what if chickens suddenly realized that they could go under the fence while he was gone. Yeah, those things went definitely into the same category. Now he was stuck at an enchanted castle, worrying whether his father was okay and how to escape without getting killed. _Getting killed._ Even if Luxord and Demyx assured him that the monsters hadn't any intentions of hurting him or Saïx, he couldn't be sure about it.

"Morning," Saïx greeted from the corner. "Slept well?"

"Could've been worse," the whitette replied. "Why are you awake so early?"

Saïx gave a smile. "I can't sleep anywhere and anytime like you. Did the bedbugs bite?"

Riku frowned. "Ha ha, very funny," he snorted, changing the subject. "What did you do last night?"

"I just looked around," the blunette replied, getting up off the floor. He didn't mention his little conversation with the shadow man. It shouldn't matter, anyway. "I decided to continue today."

"Did you find anything?" Riku asked while finishing getting dressed.

Saïx shook his head as response. "The only exit is the main gate."

"Then we just have to wait for the right moment," the whitette replied. "But now I'm feeling like I want some breakfast."

"A few more days here and you'll be so chubby that even Marluxia won't want you," the older teased.

"That would be just fine!" Riku laughed. "But if I start looking like Pence…!"

"I promise to stop you before that happens," Saïx chuckled. "But breakfast sounds good."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku handed the empty bowl to Xaldin. "You exceeded yourself," he said, wiping off the remains of French onion soup from the corners of his mouth. Demyx sat on the table, wiggling his feet. Luxord stood next to a proudly smiling Xaldin.

"Well, what do you think, dear?" Luxord asked Saïx, taking a sip of his tea. Saïx looked up at the blonde, smiling dubiously.

"In my opinion, it was a bit too bland," the blunette told. "Not enough salt."

The blonde gasped, Demyx froze. Axel who had just sat there glared at the blunette, baffled. Nobody, except the Masters, ever criticized Xaldin. It was way too close to painful demise which would include kitchen knives meeting with internal organs. Zexion was happy to be cursed, if he wasn't he would already be dead, thanks to his lack of ability to be quiet at the right time.

Instead of foaming about Saïx's comment Xaldin raised an eyebrow. "You have good taste. I've tried to reduce the use of salt in cooking."

"Don't," Saïx said at first but after a moment he continued with a smirk. "Or maybe you should reduce the salt. There's a possibility that your Masters' attitude problems are due to high blood pressure."

There were uncontrollable bursts of laughter. Riku was the first to stop laughing.

"A bit of fun to this place, too," he said.

"You're right," Axel noted, holding back his laughter. "It has been so long since we got a good laugh. Maybe it was when I last time tried to melt Vexen's hair, what it was, three years ago?"

"You spent a week with him in the basement as a punishment after that," Demyx reminded the flame-man and chuckled.

"But it was worth it!" Axel told with a wide grin. There was more laughing until Luxord looked at the clock and sighed.

"Well, look at the time," he hummed. "We should be preparing today's repast already. What about you take a tour around the castle? Of course there are certain places which you may not travel to, but I don't see why you should just stay in your room all day long. Demyx, Axel?"

"No biggie!" Demyx whooped, raising his hand and nodding eagerly.

"If the guests just want to," Axel said.

"I don't see why not," Riku noted, gaining an approving look from Saïx. Demyx jumped off the table, beckoning the others to follow him.

"Okey-dokey then! Right this way!"

-o-o-o-o-o-

The hours passed by as Axel and Demyx told them about the castle. They had started with the servants' quarters and actually were there most of the day, listening to Demyx playing his sitar. It wasn't until later when Saïx asked whether they would get a proper tour. He didn't mind listening, really, but it didn't help him with making the plan for escaping, either. So all four of them went walking around the castle, and Demyx took the lead immediately. He told about when the castle was built as well as he could and tried to tell other facts, too, but in some moments he wished he had listened to Zexion more.

"And as you can see, uh, the pseudo-whatza, it was stripped away to reveal the minimalist, what it was again… Rococo design," he tried. "These ceiling-thingies instead are, umm, a great example of…"

"Demy, we already know you have no idea of what you are saying," Axel noted. "Sheesh, what if I continue?"

"I picked a wrong job for myself," Demyx admitted with an ashamed smile.

Axel gave a cough. "So the ceilings are from the late neoclassic Baroque period," he told. "Our late lord Xehanort seemed to be obsessed especially with that period. Many ornaments in this castle are inspired by… What are you doing?!"

"I just wondered what's up there. More Baroque styled ceilings perhaps," Riku said, walking up a staircase. He was quickly stopped by Axel and Demyx.

"No, no, no!" the flame man cried out. "You can't go there!"

"The West Wing is forbidden!" the water boy continued, distraught with fear of what could happen if someone went there. "Forbidden!"

"So that's the West Wing," Saïx noted, raising an eyebrow. He was not impressed.

Riku instead looked up the stairs, a mischievous smile curling his lips. "I want to check it out," the whitette told with a smirk and began walking again. "Whatever they are hiding there…"

"Wait!" Axel pleaded, grabbing Riku's hand. "Wouldn't you like to see the gardens, or the ball room? We have even a library! Even though Zexion has probably barricaded himself in there…"

That caught Riku's attention. "You have a library here?" he asked, enthusiastic. Axel and Demyx exchanged joyful expressions and smiled widely at the whitette.

"Of course, we have a library!" the flame man exclaimed. "A big one!"

"With lots of books!" Demyx added, leading the boy back down the stairs. "I'm sure you'll love it!"

"Late lord Xehanort collected books!" Axel continued, letting go of Riku. He spread his hands to show how enormous piles of books there were and continued walking through the corridor. "He was such a bookworm when he was younger! Instead of Masters Ansem and Xemnas…"

Riku stopped listening and following them down the halfway of the corridor and sneaked back to the stairs, hoping his absence wouldn't be noticed too soon. His curiosity over the West Wing's secret had surpassed his love for reading. The whitette walked quietly up the stairs. He looked around the hallway. It was at first like all the other hallways and corridors he had seen in the castle until it gradually started to change. Broken statues, ripped wallpapers, damaged furniture. It got only worse the further Riku went. And eventually he reached a pair of damaged wooden doors in the end of the corridor.

"Well, it's now or never…"


	4. Chapter 1-4

A/N: Update! This chapter is now beta'd. Thank you, Senjuina.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 4. Return and Reverse

Riku pulled the door open and it made a loud creaky sound, revealing the chamber. It wasn't any better than the corridor had been. The whitette walked warily, curiously looking around the room. There were layers of dust and pieces of wood covered the floor. Noticing the bloodstains made Riku shake his head. 'I won't turn back,' he reassured himself. He tried not to hurt himself but of course he had to fell because of dim the light and a fallen chair. He cursed, but as he was getting up, his eyes caught a glimpse of paintings on the wall.

There were three of them, one bigger than the others. The first portrayed a young man with tanned skin and long silver hair. He looked very stoic with his half-closed eyes. He smiled slightly, yet he seemed arrogant. Riku continued to the next one.

It was more prestige than the first one and instead of a young man there was a much older, crookbacked person portrayed in the painting. The man was bald except for thin eyebrows and a curled, silver goatee and he had tanned skin, just like the man in the first painting. He was painted to have a mischievous smirk on his lips. The man was also holding a book. "Lord Xehanort, I suppose", Riku said, looking then at the last one.

The third painting was the most damaged one; it was ripped very badly. It had been a picture of a tanned, silver-haired man just like the two others. He narrowed his eyes, running his fingertips over the fabric. The only undamaged part of the painting was a pair of golden eyes. The painter had put a lot of work into capturing the gleam in them. Looking at the eyes gave Riku cold vibes.

"Odd", he told himself, leaving the paintings alone. He shook his head and continued his search for whatever was kept hidden in here. And suddenly, he saw a light bluish glow from the back of the chamber. In front of the large windows, there was a night stand, a pedestal, and on that stand was a glass case. Riku held his breath. Inside the glass case was a rose, a beautiful glowing rose. It couldn't be just any rose, and Riku understood it. An ordinary rose wouldn't glow like that. Approaching the rose, his curiosity grew more. He carefully lifted the glass case and placed it on the floor. The rose's glow got stronger, like calling Riku to touch it. The whitette startled upon suddenly hearing an angry growl and then a silent clack as the Beast placed the glass case back over the rose.

The Beast glared at him. "Why did you come here?!" he yelled, enraged. Riku shuddered, retreating from the monster that was now standing between Riku and the rose.

"I didn't mean any harm", the whitette said to defend himself. "I was just curious, so…"

"I warned you to never come here!" Ansem cried out, sharp teeth clearly visible as he growled. "Don't you insolent brat even realize what you could have done?!"

Riku didn't even have a chance to answer before the Beast roared again. "Get out!"

The whitette didn't have to be told twice. He was already running through the corridor when he heard sounds of rampage from the chamber. Riku didn't remember when he had ever been this scared.

Saïx was with Axel and Demyx at the entrance hall. His plain smile fell as he noticed how Riku's panicked state. And he knew his brother never panicked like that. Yes, sometimes he was upset or worried about their father or scared out of hell by Marluxia's endless flirting, but this was different. "Riku…?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

The whitette ran past him and straight towards the door. "Promise or no promise", he mumbled, opening the door. "I can't stay here another minute…! Saïx, let's _leave_! Now!"

The blunette nodded, making Demyx look first at Axel, then at Saïx.

"But… you can't leave us!" the water boy whined, but Riku had already run out of the castle. Saïx gave an annoyed sigh and began running back to their room to get what they had brought with them. Riku might be an idiot if he ran outside in winter, but that idiot was also his brother. And if Riku left the castle, so would he. But as the blunette grabbed his coat from the bed, the door of their room made a strange clack. He tried to open it but nothing helped. It was locked from the outside, where Zexion gave a slight smile.

"You two shouldn't wander so much," he whispered.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku had no idea that Saïx couldn't follow him. Zero neighed when it saw the whitette. Luna instead whinnied nervously. "Sorry, girl", Riku told the mare, leading Zero to the gate. "Saïx will come and get you."

Quickly, the whitette pulled the gate open and climbed on the steed's back. Zero let out a loud, almost cheery neigh when it began to gallop to the forest, away from the castle. Not very far away from the castle, Riku's escape got a dangerous twist when he noticed a pack of wolves following them, howling while they were still hidden behind the trees. They had smelled Zero's still open wounds and became aware of an easy prey. Zero panicked, reeling up to its back hinds when the wolves started to surround them. Riku gritted his teeth, trying to steer Zero away from the pack, but it was a useless effort. The steed was uncontrollable and accidentally caused Riku to fall from its back. The wolves were more interested in the horse than him, but that didn't mean Riku would leave Zero behind. The whitette grabbed a large stick from the ground and swung it against the wolves. He hit one of them over the head, making it snarl viciously at him.

"We're. Not. Your. Dinner!" Riku yelled, hitting another wolf which was trying to sink its teeth into Zero. The pack regrouped too soon after every successful hit, giving the whitette no time to recover. To make it even worse, Zero's reins got tangled with some branches and Riku couldn't remove them at the moment. The whitette huffed. There were too many wolves to fight with. "Can't you just give me a break?!"

The wolves growled at Riku's words, taking them as a challenge. They attacked with more power and pushed the whitette into the snow. Riku pressed his eyes closed, thinking that would be his end, but for some reason the wolves didn't kill him. They started to growl, like protecting their catch. Riku's eyes opened wide as he heard a loud, familiar roar. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the Beast. He was the last Riku thought of to come for him. The Beast attacked the pack, and Riku watched. He hadn't seen anything like it in his entire short life, and he was horrified. Blood flew and the growls of the wolves turned to yelps. Soon the pack retreated back to the woods, leaving the Beast standing there, bloody and tired. It panted and let out a loud sigh of relief when it saw Riku wasn't hurt before it collapsed into the snow, blacking out. Riku quickly removed Zero's reins from the tree branches, ready to continue his escape. But he hesitated.

Riku held his breath, turning to look back at the unconscious Beast. "Ansem…?"

Zero neighed as a sign to get away before the wolves came back. Riku gave the horse a slight smile.

"_He _saved us. I can't leave him here. We're going back."

-o-o-o-o-o-

The fireplace was lit immediately when Riku got back to the castle with Ansem. Axel, Demyx, Luxord and Xaldin helped him as well as they could, being truly relieved that they had gotten the boy back unhurt. The Beast instead had been unconscious when they had returned, but soon the bedlam around them awakened him. He sat on the armchair, pissed off because of the all useless fussing. He hadn't gotten any serious wounds while fighting, but the ones he had gotten were annoying as hell. Especially the bleeding one on his right arm.

"Don't lick it", Riku scolded with a frown as he noticed Ansem licking the wound. "It can lead to an infection. Let me clean it."

Ansem reluctantly gave his hand to Riku, growling slightly. Saïx, who had been released from their room, stood further behind the whitette, a stoic smile on his lips. He had exchanged only a couple of words with his brother, nothing more. Riku was more worried about Ansem than about him at the moment and for some reason it made Saïx a little jealous. Riku dipped a towel in a basin full of steaming hot water. Ansem glared at the boy suspiciously as Riku tried to bring the towel to the wound.

"This might hurt a bit", Riku warned, gaining a depreciatory snort from the Beast. As the soft fabric touched the wound, Ansem pulled his hand back straight away and roared.

"A bit?!" he yelled. "That hurt more than getting it!"

Riku frowned. "It wouldn't hurt as much if you'd just hold still."

"Hold still?! How do you think I could hold still if you're hurting me?!" Ansem cried out, causing his servants to retreat a few more steps from the raging Beast. "And if you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have even happened!"

"If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away in the first place!" the whitette yelled back.

"Well, you weren't supposed to enter the West Wing! Didn't you understand one simple rule?!" Ansem hissed through his teeth. Riku grimaced, dipping the towel in the basin again.

"Well, you should learn to control yourself", he said apologetically, glaring at the Beast. "Now, please. Hold still."

Ansem hid his aggravation and ache, looking away from the boy when Riku pressed the damp towel to the wound again to clean it. He didn't complain anymore, which made it even more amusing for Xemnas. He chuckled slightly, seeing how great an advantage their guest had over his brother.

Riku smiled slightly. "And by the way", he started quietly, "thanks for saving me… Ansem."

The Beast glanced at the boy, surprised. "You're… welcome. Riku."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

In the village, everyone was sleeping peacefully. Well, almost everyone. The inn which was always full of noisy people was empty, dark and quiet. But the backroom of the inn was lightened up by a candle and it wasn't so quiet there, after all. Marluxia sat with Larxene and Xigbar on one side of a table.

"This must be urgent, Marluxia", a girl with brown hair and a pink dress said, sitting across the table and filing her nails. "You should know that I don't usually leave the islands on such short notice."

"We know that, Kairi", Larxene noted dryly. "But we promise to make it worth your while."

"Your offer sounds interesting, indeed", the brunette girl hummed. "Well?"

Marluxia snapped his fingers as a signal for Xigbar. The older threw a bag of coins onto the table, grinning. The girl called Kairi chuckled slyly and nodded. "I'm listening."

Marluxia gave a smile. "The one I want to and will marry... He needs a little persuading."

"Yeah!" Xigbar whooped, taking a gulp of his beer. "Marly got totally ditched by that weirdo!"

Larxene slapped Xigbar hard, making the other almost choke. Kairi raised an eyebrow, looking suspiciously at the three. "I can't help you with that. I run an asylum, not a love clinic."

"Now you got me wrong", Marluxia said a bit too calmly. "You know what kind of boy Riku is. You two were childhood friends."

Kairi nodded. "Riku is a wise boy."

"That's correct", Marluxia hummed. "But his father is, how would I put it nicely, not so wise. He's a complete lunatic. Just yesterday he was telling us about a horrible Beast!"

"Ansem is harmless", Kairi told. "Old and crazy, but harmless."

"You're correct again, Kairi. But my little Riku would do anything for his father", the pinkette told. "Or for his brother. And through them, I'll get the boy. He'll be like melted wax in my hands."

"So you want me to declare the great Ansem the Wise insane?" Kairi asked. "Or that son of his, Saïx?"

"Both of them", Marluxia replied with a smirk. "You know Riku would do anything to save them from such a poor fate."

"Even marry him!" Xigbar laughed, pointing at Marluxia. Larxene was already strangling the man when Kairi giggled.

"What's so funny, brat?" Larxene spat, letting go of Xigbar and turning accusingly towards the girl. "Didn't Marluxia make himself clear?!"

Kairi gave a cold chuckle. "It's not that, blondie", the brunette said with a tone that didn't belong to a little girl. It was a voice of someone who spends their days with psychos and madmen in a closed island. "The plan is just completely scandalous. And I love it! This will be the easiest job of my whole career!"

As Marluxia planned his bright future with Riku, on the other side of village the latter's father, Ansem the Wise, awoke from a terrible nightmare. He sweated like a little piglet, panting heavily. "What a dream", he sighed, looking around his room. Everything seemed normal, but something didn't feel quite right.

"Riku…? Saïx…?" No answer. His nightmare started to feel more real than it should. He ran through the house, but neither of his sons were there. Ansem held his head. It wasn't a dream. He had really lost both his sons to monsters no one believed in. He cursed, remembering he had been studying maps of the area before falling asleep on his desk after leaving the inn. Frustrated he hadn't left to help Riku and Saïx already, he now packed his bag full of maps and other papers along with many other things, getting ready to leave.

"If no one else helps me", he mumbled angrily. "I'll save my sons myself!"

Ansem slammed the door closed behind him and began to trudge through the piles of snow towards the dark forest. Just a moment later, a carriage arrived in his yard. Marluxia with his two loyal friends went inside the house, displeased after finding it empty. Xigbar gave a sigh.

"They're not here", he yawned. "Huh. I guess your plan isn't going to work."

Marluxia gave him a scary smirk. "Well then. You'll stay here until any of them comes back", he said. "And you'll rapport me at the instant when that happens!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Saïx had soon left Riku with Ansem. He didn't know why he was annoyed. Was it jealousy or over protectiveness? Things were getting complicated. The blunette sighed, walking through the corridor. The shadow lingered on behind him.

"_Why are you wandering here this late?"_ Xemnas asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Saïx replied bluntly. "And why are you following me?"

"_Two questions_", the shadow hummed. "_I should be flattered_."

The blunette snorted, ignoring the fact he hadn't got answers to his questions. Xemnas chuckled as Saïx finally glared at him. "What do you want?" the blunette hissed.

"_To talk_", Xemnas hummed. "_How do you like it in here?_"

"Riku seems to have started to like it", the blunette said, remembering his brother smiling so sweetly just a couple of minutes ago. And yet that smile wasn't meant for him.

"_Does that bother you?_"

Saïx shrugged. "Perhaps."

"_Where are you going?"_

"Nowhere, really", the blunette said with a smirk, wanting to add that leaving wasn't an option, after all. "But if you really have so much free time that you can stalk me, maybe you could show me around, too?"

The shadow stopped following the blunette for a moment. He was surprised Saïx had actually asked him to be with him, even if just indirectly and meaning it as an insult. It made him somewhat happy. "_Sure._"

There wasn't really a reason why Xemnas led Saïx to the art gallery. It was a big, spacious room and its walls were full of paintings of different sizes. Most of them were portraits.

"Impressive collection", Saïx had to admit even though he didn't like art very much.

"_Lady spend most of her days in here_", Xemnas told. "_She also liked to paint._"

The blunette raised an eyebrow. "Lady?"

"_Late lord Xehanort's wife_", the shadow corrected. "_She was an artist._"

Saïx gave a smile, curiously looking over the room. "Are any of her paintings here?"

Xemnas was silent for a moment. "_…No. There are only three in this castle. The rest of them were moved after her death. But someday, I might show them to you._"

"You think I'll stay here that long?" Saïx snarled.

Xemnas hummed at the question. "_Yes. You would have already left if you didn't like my company._"

"Don't expect too much. You're still annoying."

"_Because you can't read me?"_the shadow asked sarcastically.

"Yes. But I can smell you", Saïx said suddenly, seeing as it was somehow related to the situation.

"_Excuse me?_"

"I can smell you. Do I have to spell it?"

"_No, I just didn't think that it's even possible._"

Saïx smiled slightly. Xemnas sounded so delighted. It made Saïx look at the shadow more carefully, but still, he couldn't see any human features. "That's not your true form, is it?" It wasn't really a question, but in any case Xemnas made a sound of denial.

"_You think too much_", the shadow said, yet he didn't sound very convincing after that sudden statement.

"Maybe so", the blunette stated with a faint smile. "But I believe… there is more than meets the eye. I don't care how weird it might sound now, I want to see the real you. No matter how annoying you might be now."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next day came with one great difference; Riku wasn't afraid of being in the castle anymore. He was more than relieved of that. He walked around the garden with Zero and Luna. After the recent wolf attack Zero's injuries had been taken care of by the servants and the steed was getting better. It was one of the things that made the whitette even happier. Luna poked his back with her snout, wanting attention from the boy. Riku patted Luna, smiling.

"It's alright, girl", he hummed. "We'll be staying here for a while."

Ansem looked down at the boy from the balcony, gaining smiles from Axel and Demyx.

"What… are you thinking, Master?" Axel asked politely.

Ansem gave a slight growl. "I've just… I've never felt this way before…"

Demyx, who was out even though he was afraid of freezing up, looked at the Beast, confused. "Is it a bad kind of feeling or…?"

"It makes me feel warm", Ansem said, pressing his bandaged hand against his chest. "Here."

Axel gave a chuckle. The man who was considered a Heartless was getting feelings for a disobedient kid. "That's what they call love", the flame man hummed. Ansem looked at his two servants.

"You think… it might be love?"

"I don't think so", Zexion snorted, stepping out onto the balcony from an open door. "It may be compassion, or even gratitude, but definitely not love. No. Such a thing doesn't exist."

Demyx gave a frown. "Zexy! Love does exist!" he insisted. "I know it does!"

Zexion laughed dryly. "You know it?" he snarled. "You who hasn't even kissed anyone before. Stop it. Such foolishness belongs to fairytales. Master…"

"Shut it, Zexion", the Beast growled in a commanding but not angry tone. "I don't know whether it is love or not. I just want… to do something special for him. But what?"

"There are a few things like flowers and chocolates and," Axel named, a grin on his lips, "promises you don't intend or have to keep."

"No, Ax!" Demyx noted with a pout. "It's Riku, not some girl. It has to be something that he likes!"

Ansem frowned. "I don't know him that well."

Axel and Demyx looked at each other, smiling widely. Zexion rolled his eyes as the water boy jerked Ansem's sleeve.

"May I suggest something…?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku followed Ansem through the many corridors of the castle. "Seriously, where are you taking me?" the whitette asked curiously. Ansem stayed silent, just grinning at Riku's endless questions.

"It's a surprise", the Beast told with a smirk when they arrived at a large pair of white doors. "But I want you to close your eyes first."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Ansem asked with a grin, snarling a bit. "Just close them. And no peeking."

Riku closed his eyes suspiciously. The Beast waved his paw in front of the boy's closed eyes, just to make sure Riku really didn't see anything. When he was sure Riku was temporarily blind, he opened the doors, leading the boy into the room.

"Remember to keep your eyes closed", Ansem said, opening the curtains of the room. Riku pressed his eyes shut more tightly when he was able to see the sunlight through his eyelids.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Riku asked.

"Yes."

The whitette had to blink a couple times to get used to the light again, but when he did he was able to look around the room. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed where he was. It was a high room, full of books. Bookshelves, piles of books, so many books he couldn't believe his eyes. He gasped for air.

"This can't be real", he whispered, making Ansem smile.

"You like it?" the Beast asked.

Riku looked straight at him, smiling so widely, so happily, it made Ansem feel weird. "I love it", Riku uttered. "It's more than perfect. I couldn't even imagine a place like this!"

"It's yours, then", Ansem said with a happy smile. Riku's eyes widened, unable to even form words. Ansem laughed a bit to Riku's speechlessness. "But I have something else for you, too", he told, handing Riku a necklace with some kind of key.

"It's beautiful" Riku said, looking at the weirdly shaped key. It was black and red, its teeth forming the outline of a heart.

"It's called a Key of Heart", Ansem told with a faint smile. "I don't know where it belongs, so it's yours to keep."

"A Key of Heart", the whitette repeated, blue eyes shining gratefully. "Thank you…"

-o-o-o-o-o-

The servants were more than happy to notice how in just a few days, Riku had begun to enjoy the company of their always so grumpy master. The whitette had coaxed Ansem out of the castle. The Master wasn't really an outdoor person, especially not during winter. It was always too cold in his opinion, but that was a lame excuse for someone who had thick fur. It was Riku's idea to go out to feed birds. He said it would make the castle feel more homelike to him, considering that back at the village he had had chickens to take care of.

"I… I don't really like birds", Ansem mumbled when the whitette put a small pile of seeds on his paws. "And animals don't like me, either."

Riku smiled. "Just wait and see", he said, making a trail of seeds to Ansem's paws on the snow. A small bird flew there, eating first from the trail but flying then to Ansem's paw to eat from the pile. The Beast gave a surprised, gentle smile. Riku answered to the smile with a chuckle, touching Ansem's hand when he stood up before running to hide behind a tree. He smiled, ashamed, touching the key hanging on his necklace. _There's something __sweet __and almost kind_, he thought with a sigh. _But he was mean and he was coarse and we fought. _He looked back at Ansem, just to see the Beast covered with birds. Riku couldn't help but chuckle a bit. _And now he's dear and so unsure. I __wonder __why I didn't see it there before._

Ansem didn't know what to do with the birds. He glared in the direction Riku run off to a moment ago, merely to see the whitette chuckling at him. It didn't anger him, no. It was that weird feeling at his chest again. _He glanced this way, I thought I saw_, he sighed, unsurely happy. _And when we touched, he didn't shudder at my paw. _Ansem shook his head, catching a sight of Riku looking back at him. _No, it can't be, I'll just ignore. But then he's never looked at me that way before._

Riku held his breath, hiding again. "This is not like me", he mumbled. "This is just so…" …_new and a bit alarming. Who'd have ever thought that this could be? True that he's no Prince Charming. But there's something in him that I simply didn't see…!_

Ansem let out a loud snarl when Riku threw a snowball at him, scaring the birds away. The whitette laughed when the Beast, instead of getting mad, made a snowball to meet the challenge. Inside the castle, Axel, Demyx, Xaldin and Luxord looked at them curiously from the kitchen's window.

"Well who'd have thought", Axel hummed with a grin.

"Or who'd have known", Demyx continued.

Luxord took a sip of tea. "Well who indeed."

"And who'd have guessed they'd come together almost on their own", the flame man chanted.

"It's so peculiar", Xaldin said.

"We'll wait and see", the paper man chuckled. "A few days more…"

"There may be something there that wasn't there before…"


	5. Chapter 1-5

Chapter 5. Something Sweet, Something Bitter

Two days after having a snowball fight, Riku was even more often seen with Ansem. They used to sit down on the floor in front of the fireplace, the whitette reading a book out loud. There were two reasons for reading out loud. One was that Ansem liked Riku's voice even more when the boy emphasized the words while reading stories. The other reason instead was that Ansem couldn't really read himself. It had been so long.

Seeing their feelings grow, the servants, most of them, had instead moved to the entrance hall with the enchanted dishes and knickknacks to have a serious meeting.

"My friends", Axel stated. "The day we have waited for may be at hand! Thanks to Riku, the spell will be broken anytime soon so-"

"We all hope so, Axel dear", Luxord sighed, interrupting Axel's speech. "But we'd be normal again only if Riku really could open Master's heart."

"Yes, think of what that means!" the flame man hummed, flames burning brighter. "If he succeeds, I'll be myself again! My hair will grow again. Not some living torch or a candle anymore."

Demyx smiled widely. "When I'm normal again, so normal again", he sung. "Not afraid of wetting myself all along…"

"I'll be firm again", Luxord chanted along. "Chic and sporting again…"

"Causing yourself problems with rum", Xaldin told in a serious tone, reminding the blonde of the fact he had been unable to drink that lovely alcohol so many years. It seemed to affect his papery form differently than his normal human body.

"I'll get a bottle from the shelf", the blonde teased.

"And be your drunken self", the dreadlocked man sighed, rolling his eyes. "But I can't wait to be normal again."

"When we're normal again, so normal again", Axel and Demyx sung in unison. "When we won't cause burns and floods no more."

"Little push, little shove", Luxord hummed. "They could, whoosh, fall in love."

"And that's what we will do!" the flame man announced. "We'll make this castle the most romantic place on earth! We'll clean and cook and…"

Zexion snorted. "It's never going to work."

"Why are you so negative?" Demyx asked with a pout. "Don't you want to be normal?"

"Normal? Have I ever been?" the shorter sighed. "I'll go find Vexen. Just do what you want but don't bother me with things like this."

Zexion's disapproval for the plan didn't change anything. Only after a moment of silence the singing started again.

"When we're normal again, only normal again", the song was continued by Demyx. "When the world is once more making sense. We'll unwind for a change!"

"So sweep the dust from the floor!" Xaldin told the brooms.

"Let's let some light in the room!" Axel chanted, the candleholders obeying him.

"I can feel, I can tell! Someone might break the spell", Luxord hummed with a wide smile. "Any day now, if all goes as planned! Our time may be at hand, any day now!"

The enchanted objects sung as well, obeying every command.

"Open the shutters and let in some air!"

"Put these here and put those over there!"

"Sweep up the years of sadness and tears and throw them away!"

Demyx had sneaked away to spy a little. He looked through the slightly open door into the living room, hearing Riku read the story.

"And that's how the story about Juliet and her Romeo ends ", the whitette said with a gentle smile. Ansem looked at the book.

"That was… tragic", he said.

"I know", Riku admitted. "But love works that way. You would do anything to be with the ones dear to you." Ansem stayed silent, thoughtful. The whitette gave a smile. "Are you still on this planet? I would like to ask you something."

"What's that?" the Beast asked, surprised. "I mean… go ahead."

"Is there any possibility to get a second chance?" Riku asked, gaining an confused glance. "I would like to have dinner with you."

Ansem blinked his eyes couple times. "A dinner? Me? You?"

"Yeah. If it's not too much to ask for."

"No. No!" Ansem told, shaking his head. "It would be… my pleasure."

Demyx giggled and danced away, blowing some bubbles and humming. "When we're normal again, so normal again…"

-o-o-o-o-o-

Xemnas hummed smugly, gaining a death glare from the Beast.

"Why are you standing there?" Ansem snarled, sitting in a bathtub. "Don't you have better things to do?!"

The shadow man chuckled. "_But this is always so fun to watch. My rare entertainment._"

The Beast let out a growl while Demyx moved to wash his back. "I hate bathing. I hate water. And I hate these bubbles!"

"Well, I'm sorry", the water boy told with a pout and poured a pailful of hot water on Ansem's head. "I'm just doing my job."

"That's right, Master", Axel hummed, holding back his laughter when he looked at Ansem who was coated with foam. "And right now our job is to get you ready for this night. We're all counting on you! The spell will be broken any day soon if you just-!"

"Maybe I don't want to do this", Ansem mumbled, interrupting Axel. He growled as Demyx washed his mane. "And I hate it when you play with my fur…"

"I'm not playing", Demyx noted. "I'm washing. I guess you don't want to smell like an animal."

The Beast snorted. "Maybe I want to-"

"I guess Riku doesn't", Axel snapped. "And you like him, right? So act and smell like it!"

"_Is it just me or have you two started to act more on your own_?" Xemnas asked. "_More impertinent, I might say._"

"Well, there's no time to be timid!" Demyx told, drying Ansem's mane. "We all know the rose has lost almost all petals!"

Ansem sighed. "But what if Riku doesn't see me as I see him? I do like him but what if he…"

"Stop complaining and be the man you were for once!" Axel yelled, making Demyx stare at the flame man, eyes wide open. "Now you're just whining like a kid! It. Will. Go. Fine!"

Before he even realized what he had said he was violently attacked with a bucketful of cold water.

After Axel was almost drowned by Ansem, the bathing room was abandoned again. The Masters of the castle retired to their chamber to talk before the dinner. Xemnas had already said he wasn't going. He didn't actually even eat so what would have been the point of disturbing Ansem and Riku. Xemnas' behavior puzzled Ansem more than a bit, but he had decided not to ask.

"_What do you think, brother_", Xemnas started. "_Will it be enough to break the curse if it's only you…?_"

Ansem glared at the shadow man. "What are you talking about…?"

"…_Or do we both have to learn to love and earn love in return?_" Xemnas finished the sentence. Ansem went silent. It had been so long that it was hard to remember the Witch's words correctly.

"I… don't know", the Beast growled. "But there shouldn't be problem. I've seen you with Wolfie."

"_Wolfie?_"

"Don't look at me like that, I heard Demyx calling him by that name. But you seem to like his company."

The shadow let out an emotionless chuckle. "_Indeed. He's somehow… different._"

"You don't say" Ansem snorted. "How long have you been seeing him?"

"_From the night you went to get Riku back_", Xemnas told. It was actually a lie. He had stalked the blunette from the start.

The Beast grimaced at the memory of himself wanting to hurt Riku for disobeying him. He shook the memory away and turned to the shadow. "What is the problem then? He's like you in many ways. Arrogant, sarcastic, cheeky…"

"_Our feelings aren't mutual_", Xemnas told with a sigh. "_Or even if I think about him I can't see him with me. He's not like that and if Riku is a bit like him..._"

"And I thought I hadn't enough problems already ", Ansem snarled.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Dear, are you sure you don't want to try one more outfit?" Luxord asked sweetly, holding a pile of clothes. Riku grinned, looking at himself in a mirror. He wore a white unofficial dress suit with blue and yellow details. It was comfortable and definitely not too stylish in his opinion.

"No, this is just perfect", the whitette told. He had no idea where Luxord had gotten all those clothes but he was pleased they fit him and that he wasn't offered to wear a dress. Saïx was sitting on the bed, watching Riku with a smirk. He hadn't been surprised when the younger had told about his plans for the night.

"You are really going", he noted. "Not that I ever suspected anything else."

"You can come, too", Riku hummed. "If you want to be an overprotective older brother."

Saïx gave a hum. "He's not Marluxia."

"Don't even dare to mention him", the whitette snorted. "Ansem and Marluxia are two different persons. Marluxia was never on the same wavelength with me."

"And you think Ansem is?"

"Yes. You should trust my discernment for once", Riku sighed.

"Like when you thought Sephiroth was your real father?" the blunette asked with a smugly smirk. "And you went on with it until our father had to tell you he's not when you didn't believe it when I said it."

"I was seven, stop reminding me of it", Riku snarled. "This has nothing to do with it."

"Well, I'll pass anyway", Saïx told. Riku gave him a worried look.

"Are you still planning to escape?" he asked. "It's not like we're prisoners anymore. If you just ask I'm sure we could leave."

Saïx shot his brother a glare. "I know."

Luxord glanced first at Riku and then at Saïx and felt like he shouldn't be there at the moment. The atmosphere was turning to awkward.

"Well, dears", he tried, but was silenced when Saïx glanced at him. The blunette stood up, yellow eyes now locked on his brother. It wasn't a mean look but a tender one.

"I just hope you made a right decision."

"I did."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Ansem was at the stairway to the entrance hall, walking back and worth nervously. Axel had chosen a mostly black and white suit with yellow details and a wide open collar for him. Xaldin rolled his eyes at Ansem's nervousness before sighing loudly.

"Master, calm down", he said. "Riku will be here at any moment."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of", the Beast snarled. Xemnas had sowed the seed of doubt in his mind. What if Riku didn't have feelings for him? What if he had but it wouldn't be enough to break the spell? And when had he started to worry this much? He let out an annoyed growl when Xaldin poked his side with an elbow. "What now…?!" Ansem asked but cut off the sentence when he noticed Riku at the other side of the room, walking down the stairs with Luxord. The dreadlocked man sighed.

"Go", Xaldin whispered. "I have better things to do right now than babysit you. It looks like Luxord left the kitchen to Demyx."

Ansem frowned as a bunch of new question rose in his mind. What if Demyx had ruined the dinner? What if he hadn't but Riku didn't like the food? What if Riku had changed his mind and he didn't want to eat with him? What if he dropped the spoon!? Those thoughts were soon erased when Riku reached him, his lips curled into his usual calm smile. "Am I late?" he asked.

"No. You're… just in time", the Beast replied. He had been there almost twenty minutes already but it wasn't worth mentioning at the moment.

They moved to the dining hall where the dinner was already served. Riku sat on the one end of the elongated dining table just like Ansem sat on the other end, both eating while Demyx played his sitar softly, singing a song. "Tale as old as time", he hummed quietly. "True as it can be… Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly…"

Suddenly Riku rose from the table and walked to the end where Ansem sat. "Would you come with me?"

"Just a little change, small to say the least… both a little scared, neither one prepared…"

Ansem gave an unsure nod as a response, standing up and smiling hesitantly at the boy. "What do you have on mind? If it's dancing…"

"It's a surprise", Riku told with a grin, leading the Beast back to the entrance hall. "And no, it has nothing to do with dancing. I… don't dance."

Demyx's song echoed in the castle. "Tale as old as time, tune as old as song. Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change. Learning you were wrong…"

Zexion closed his eyes, listening to the song for a moment while he walked through a corridor. In his eyes, Demyx was a hopeless romantic, and the song brought bad memories back to his mind. He gritted his teeth, deciding to return back to the basement.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku eventually lead Ansem to the main balcony to watch the night sky. They sat there, talking and looking at the winking stars and the moon.

"How old are you?" Riku asked him among many other questions. The Beast gave him a slightly bothered smile.

"Twenty-four, soon twenty-five", Ansem replied, wanting to add it was happening _too_ soon.

The whitette chuckled. "I turned seventeen a few months ago."

"You're young", the Beast replied with a frown. They had over eight years difference in age, and for a moment it felt worse than that he was a Beast, scared of the fact that in under two days the rose would lose its last petals.

"Does it matter?" Riku asked suddenly, sounding a bit confused.

"No, you just make me feel old", the Beast replied with a grin. Riku laughed at the comment and smiled then, raising his hand like he was trying to touch the sky.

"When I was a kid, ten or something like that, Saïx taught me how to climb to the roof. I used to sneak out at night and go to watch stars", he told softly. "And dream of a different life, in somewhere else than our hometown."

Riku's words raised Ansem's hopes even more.

"Do you like… your life here?" the Beast asked, moving little closer to the whitette.

Riku gave a smile. "Yes, I really do", he said but his smile slowly disappeared just to be replaced by a doleful expression.

Ansem startled. "What's wrong?" he asked.

The whitette looked at the moon. "I just remembered my father. I would like to see him one more time… Just to make sure he's alright."

The Beast just gave a nod, thinking of what to say. He wanted to cheer Riku up because seeing him so unhappy was just horrible. Then suddenly an idea struck his mind.

"There's actually a way", he told. "Follow me."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Xemnas chuckled when Saïx appeared at the gallery. It had became their own secret meeting place since Saïx didn't tell Riku he was having time with Xemnas while Riku kept seeing Ansem.

"_You're late_", the shadow chuckled.

Saïx smirked. "Riku's fault."

The conversations between the two were always like that, mostly simple needling and sarcasm but also more serious subjects. Saïx told about his family and the village, often in a very snarling tone, but he didn't like to talk about himself. Xemnas on the other head evaded talking about anything that could be related to the spells and yet he didn't lose his temper because of Saïx's comments about him holding back something.

"_Do you still find me annoying?_" the shadow asked suddenly.

"Not as annoying as I found you at the beginning", Saïx replied with a soft chuckle. "No, I don't. Why do you ask that?"

"_I was just thinking_", Xemnas started. "_Are we… friends?_"

Saïx blinked at the question before smiling. "Am I that amusing?"

"_Don't you take me seriously?_" Xemnas asked, sounding slightly disappointed. The blunette frowned.

"I do take _you_ seriously, Xemnas. It's your _question_I'm taking lightly", the blunette explained. "Did you consider me as your friend when I and Riku started staying here few days ago? Let me answer that one. No, you didn't. What about now? Am I still just someone who's fun to stalk? Or do you really like my company?"

Xemnas looked at the blunette. "_I really do like you._"

Saïx frowned, trying to hide the fact he was a bit embarrassed at the moment. Oh, how he hated to be so pale. "Then it's simple. We are… friends."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

For once, Ansem allowed someone else than Xemnas or Vexen to go into his chamber. Riku followed the Beast to the pedestal where the rose was. It was wilting very badly, only a few petals were left. But it wasn't what Ansem wanted to show. The Beast grabbed a silver item from the pedestal, giving it to Riku.

"That's a Magic Mirror", he said. "It allows you to see whatever you want, even your father."

Riku smiled a bit and held the mirror. "I want to see… my father."

The picture spun and glowed, changing the image. Riku's eyes widened from anxiety. The mirror was showing Ansem the Wise in the woods, coughing and holding his chest. The old man was curled up under a tree. He was seemingly in a very bad condition.

"He… he's sick!" Riku cried out. "I must save him! I can't let him die there…!"

With a slight hesitation, Ansem pressed his paws on Riku's shoulders. "Go then", he said. "Save him. You're… free to go. You, and your brother, are no longer our prisoners."

The whitette gave a confused nod, handing the mirror back. Ansem refused to take it. "You can keep it. It will show you the way to you father. And… you can use it to remember this place and us…"

Riku gave a soft smile. "I will never forget… you", he whispered, adding the last word so quietly Ansem didn't hear it. "Thank you."

Ansem watched as Riku turned his back to him and left the room. One more petal fell, making the Beast sigh. He did the right thing, didn't he? Riku wouldn't be happy here now that he knew his father wasn't okay. The door made a clack as Axel opened it, walking further into the chamber he usually didn't visit.

"Everything is going according to the script. The spells will be broken before sunrise! I guess Riku really likes you, Master" he hummed and smiled widely before looking around the room. "Uh, where is he anyway?"

Ansem let out a silent growl, looking out of the window. "I let him go."

The flame man startled. "Y-you did what?" he spluttered. "The rose is dying! Even Vexen can't freeze it anymore! We don't have time! Your birthday is too soon! And I thought you liked Riku! Why the heck did you let him go?!"

"Don't question my decision", the Beast said, looking at the rose once more. "It's not that simple anymore."

"But what about the spells?" Axel squawked.

"We'll manage. Just like we did before."

"But why did you let him go? Don't you like him?"

The Beast gave a saddening expression, staring out at the yard. Riku was out there with Saïx, leading their horses to the gate. As Ansem lost the sight of them, he gave Axel an unusual, sad smile. "I love him more than I love myself. He's the road to dawn, and even if I'll remain in this form forever, I can remember and love him as a light in the darkness of my _heart_. And that's why… I let him go."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"You should have seen him!" Axel barked as the others stared at the flame man, eyes wide open. They had just heard Riku and Saïx had left the castle. "Now the spells will never be broken! We're write-off and there's no sequel!"

Luxord nodded sadly. "They were such nice kids. Masters are probably weighed down with grief right now."

"Screw Masters!" the flame man cried out, blazing in anger. "I was so close to get a real bath! Now I'll be a living torch for the rest of my short life!"

"Idiot", Xaldin snarled. "It's not like you're the only one with problems."

"Shut up, windmill!"

"How dare you…?!"

"You both calm down!" Luxord yelled, but he was completely ignored. Xaldin had already grabbed Axel at his collar and raised the flame man into the air. Axel cursed and struggled as well as he could, and at last successfully kicked Xaldin's stomach. Nobody really paid any attention to Demyx who whimpered in the corner.

"Does that mean… there's no love?" he asked so loudly that Luxord heard him.

"No, dear!" the blonde said quickly and sat down at the water boy's level, trying to comfort the sobbing kid. "There is love, lots of love. More love than you can ever imagine!"

"But Zexion was right", Demyx insisted. "Zexion knew this would happen!"

Axel frowned, letting go of Xaldin's dreadlocks. There was no point in fighting if Demyx was like that. "Where is Zexion anyway?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

In the darkness of the forest, Riku tried to search for their father. He had hopped down from Zero's back and ran from one tree to another.

"Stop running around like a headless chicken", Saïx said. "You'll just tire yourself." The blunette hadn't been happy when Riku had interrupted his little moment with Xemnas, but the health of their father was more important at the moment. After a short farewell, Saïx had left the shadow man and followed his brother instead of staying in the castle. Riku frowned, glancing at the older one.

"But I have to find him!" the whitette yelled. "And the mirror showed him under a tree!"

"There are hundreds of trees", the blunette stated, holding the reins of both horses. "And they all look the same."

"Can't you stop arguing with me and be useful!?"

"It's not like you're the only one worrying here. You can't really even see beyond your nose", Saïx snarled and gave the reins to Riku. "Take these and rest a bit. I try to find him."

The blunette sniffed the air. Riku had never understood why Saïx has such a good sense of smell. When they had been kids, Saïx had always used his nose to find Riku when they had played hide and seek. The blunette had told Riku smelled like vanilla and paper ink, just like their father smells like smoke. Of course his brother acted like a wild animal sometimes, but Saïx's ability still impressed him.

"Do you smell anything?" Riku asked, tired of waiting.

Saïx frowned. "Yes, pines and dirt. Now shut up."

They walked around the forest but didn't get a single sight, or waft, of Ansem the Wise for a long time. Finally Saïx stopped walking. "He's near."

Riku tossed the reins to the blunette, glaring into the darkness and soon he caught a sight of a figure of their father under a large tree.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku had once again hopped on Zero's back; the unconscious Ansem was laid onto Luna's back. Saïx walked instead, leading the mare towards their home. When they caught a glimpse of their home, they were surprised that the windows glimmered with light. Of course their father was eccentric and forgetful, but he never left the fire unattended. It was far too dangerous in a wooden house like theirs. The brothers took the old man from the mare's back, setting the man's hands on the brothers' shoulders so that they could walk their father to the house. Riku opened the door with his free hand and looked around. The fireplace had been lit, but otherwise everything seemed fine.

"Oh hi guys! I thought I heard the door but I didn't expect to see ya so soon", the familiar man with an eye patch told with a grin, walking down the stairs. "You have a nice house. Very tidy. I wish my house would-"

Saïx gritted his teeth, snarling. "Xigbar, I don't know why you are here, but you should get the hell out of our home."

Xigbar gave a pout. "Yea, but…"

"Out!" the blunette roared and the older man left the house immediately. Saïx and Riku carried their father to the bed. It took a moment until Ansem the Wise woke to the feeling of a cold, wet rag on his forehead. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Riku. The old man immediately sat up and hugged his younger son.

"Riku! God bless me, you're alright!" he cried out happily, letting go of Riku just to check out the boy was okay before he looked around the room. "Is Saïx here, too?"

Riku gave a nod. "He's downstairs, making some tea for you. We'll take care of you."

The old man smiled brightly, holding Riku's hand tightly in his own. But suddenly his smile fell and he stared at Riku, panic-stricken. "But the Beast!" he shouted frantically. "How did you escaped from that monster?!"

Riku sighed, looking into his father's eyes. "No, dad. We didn't escape", he told with a slight smile. "He let us go. And he's not a monster. He's… changed."

The old man looked utterly confused. "I-I don't understand you, Riku. You sound like your mother."

Riku blinked couple times. "My mother…?" he said, tasting the words before he shook his head and stared at Ansem. "But… I'm adopted! What do you mean I sound like my mother?!"

Saïx hurried upstairs after hearing Riku yell. "What's happening here…?"

The whitette had stood up and he pointed at his father accusingly. "He… knew it all the time!" he yelled, looking now directly at Saïx. "He knew who my mother was and he never told me! Next he probably tells me he knows my father as well!"

"Is that true?" Saïx asked their father. "You knew Riku's parents?"

Ansem the Wise frowned sadly and gave a nod. "Yes", he admitted with a sigh. "I knew them. Riku's father was my dear friend, and so was his mother."

"Who were they?!" Riku yelled, trying to keep himself calm. "Are they alive?!"

The old man avoided Riku's piercing stare as he shook his head and kept silent. The whitette's look saddened. "They didn't want me", he whispered. "That's what you mean, right?"

"No", the old man said. "Your parents loved you very much."

"But why they didn't keep me?"

The silence was broken by a knock from the door. "I'll go", Saïx told quietly, leaving the room to go see who would like to visit them that late. And seriously, there weren't that many people in the town who liked them that much. Saïx opened the door.

"Um, hello?" he said with a slight smile when he saw a young girl there. She was about Riku's age, pretty brown hair and blue eyes. She gave him a smirk as the townsfolk gathered behind her.

"I prefer good evening", she said sweetly. "I'm Kairi from the islands."

Saïx twitched and his smile fell. Everybody knew the islands. It was the place near the town where madmen and mentally ill people from all over the country were locked up. The blunette let out a suspicious growl.

"What do you want, _Kairi_?" he hissed.

The girl chucked. "Nothing much. I was called here to take away a crazy old man called Ansem the Wise", she told with a soft smirk. "And a perilous blue-haired man with a scar on his face. And I suppose… that means you."

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: I kind of rushed this chapter, sorry. And about Saïx's animal abilities... They're "relics" from my first version of this story when Saïx was "a monster" like Axel and Demyx for example. I was just too tired to change that.


	6. Chapter 1-6

A/N: This is going to be the second to last chapter of this story. Oh, and there is few lines of a song "Onko vielä aikaa" ("Is there still time") by Katri Ylander. It's probably self-evident that I don't own it, nor the Kingdom Hearts characters.

-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 6. Farewell

Ansem the Wise came to the door, Riku following him. It was true, no one really visited them, so it was even more confusing that it took Saïx so long to drive the visitors away.

"Who is there?" Ansem asked, slightly curious, and pushed the blunette out of his way. He frowned confused when he saw almost half the village on their yard.

"There he is!" the townsfolk yelled, pointing at the inventor. "The crazy old Ansem!"

Kairi smiled sweetly. "Well, then. It's useless to say anything against", she told and her subordinates approached the door calmly. "Take them away."

"Kairi?" Riku stated as he stared at the girl behind Ansem and Saïx before stepping right in front of the girl. "What are you talking about? My father isn't crazy!"

"Prove it", the girl hummed to her long time childhood friend. "As I know, your father is proved to be insane by the townsfolk, and so is your brother, but I can give you a chance to prove otherwise. So, Riku, prove me they're not insane."

Riku didn't know what to say. Marluxia instead knew perfectly what to do. He had stood further away with Larxene and Xigbar. Now his time had come. He wrapped his hands around the Riku's shoulders and smiled.

"Riku", he whispered huskily. "I could do something to clear this little misunderstanding."

"What do you want, Marluxia?" the whitette asked trough his teeth, already knowing what Marluxia was about to say.

"It's easy", the pinkette replied. "Marry me, and the crazy old man and the scar-face can continue their lives just like before."

Saïx was annoyed by how Marluxia treated his brother. He was already going to interrupt their conversation, but Xigbar stopped him.

"U-huh, I don't think so", he laughed, pointing at the blunette with his lucky hunting gun. "I don't really have anything against any of you, but payback is a bitch."

Riku gritted his teeth, glaring at Marluxia. "Don't mock my family…!"

His words caused Marluxia to smile even wider. "You weren't here when your dear father came to the inn, raving about a nonexistent Beast!" the pinkette shouted. "Tell us about the Beast, old man!" The crowd laughed, Marluxia and Kairi included. Saïx growled but he remained silent for the moment. Ansem the Wise instead run next to Riku.

"There was a Beast!" he yelled. "It was huge! With sharp fangs and claws!"

"Well, that explains a lot", Kairi chuckled as her minions started to pull Ansem to the cart. "Come with us old man and-"

Riku run past Saïx back to the house just to run back out with a silver object. "My father isn't crazy!" he told again, this time yelling so that everyone could hear it. "And I can prove it!"

He whispered to the Magical Mirror and the image on its surface began to change. Riku turned it to the crowd as it showed Ansem, giving a loud, horrifying roar. The crowd had stopped laughing; now they were gasping in fear and shock. They whispered and Riku felt a sting of guilt in his heart. He turned the mirror away.

"Is it… dangerous?" Olette, the baker's wife, asked, sounding truly afraid. Pence wrapped his arms around the girl. Riku shook his head.

"No! He's kind and gentle", the whitette told, holding the mirror against his chest. "He's my friend."

Larxene had stepped forward and grabbed the mirror from Riku, tossing it to Marluxia. The pinkette sneered, glancing at Riku. "If I didn't know you better, I would think that you _like_ that monster!" he shouted, turning then to the crowd. "The Beast will make off with your children! He'll come after them in the night!"

"No!" Riku yelled, trying to get the mirror back from Marluxia, but Larxene stepped in and kicked the whitette further from Marluxia.

"Marluxia's right! We're not safe till his head is mounted on the inn's wall!" the blonde girl yelled, encouraging the crowd even more. "I say we kill the Beast!"  
The crowd cheered, raising their pitchforks and torches. "Kill him!"

Hayner thrashed out his fist. "We're not safe until he's dead."

"He'll come stalking us at night!" Seifer continued.

"Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite", Aerith whined, holding her grown stomach protectively.

Cloud took his hand from her shoulder, stepping forward. "He'll wreak havoc on our village if we let him wander free."

"So it's time to take some action, boys!" Marluxia clamored, receiving a scythe from Larxene. "It's time to follow me!"

The blonde walked through the crowd, singing a song to keep the townsfolk concentrated to their mission. "Through the mist, through the woods", she sung. "Through the darkness and the shadows, it's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride."

"Say a prayer, then we're there", Xigbar continued, still pointing at Saïx with his gun. "At the gates of a castle, and there's something truly terrible inside."

Marluxia paced around Riku. "I don't understand what you see in that monster", he snorted, showing the image of the Beast from the mirror. "It's a beast. He's got fangs, razor sharp ones. Massive paws, killer claws for the feast."

"Stop this, Marluxia!" the whitette demanded. "He's not a monster!"

The pinkette didn't listen to Riku, but continued encouraging the crowd. "Hear him roar! See him foam! But we're not coming home 'til he's dead! Good and dead!"

"We'll kill the Beast!"  
Riku grabbed Marluxia's wrist. "No! I won't let you do this!"

The pinkette smirked at Riku. "If you're not with us, you're against us", Marluxia told, wrenching his arm free. "I'll handle the situation here later. Bring the old man!"

The townsfolk, along with Kairi's minions, pushed Ansem the Wise into the house's cellar. Being in front of the gun barrel precluded a chance to attack, so the only thing Saïx could do at the moment was to snarl and obey. "You don't get away with this", he growled at Xigbar as he joined Ansem the Wise and helped the old man up from the floor.

"Well, that's nice", the older man laughed. "I didn't know you tell jokes!"

Marluxia himself pushed Riku into the cellar, latching the door from outside and yelling to the crowd. "We're done here now and now we'll rid the village of this Beast. Who's with me?"

As he raised his scythe, the crowd let out cheers. "I am!" "I am!" "I am!"

Larxene pulled Marluxia on a horse's back and they took the road through the town to acquire more people to their mob before they would continue to the castle.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Saïx tried to break the door so many times his shoulder started to ache, but it was no use. They weren't sure how long they had been locked up. The blunette cursed Xigbar in his mind when he noticed that even the door from their kitchen to the cellar was locked. Riku hadn't time to wallow in self-pity any longer even though he had lost the mirror to Marluxia and now the whole castle was in danger.

"I have to go back and warn them!" the whitette shouted, walking around the cellar. "Isn't there any other way out?!"

Ansem the Wise shook his head, making Riku punch the wall. "But we'll think about something…"

Marluxia and his mob had already left the village and, with the mirror as their map, they approached little by little the castle.

"Through a mist, through a wood", the mob sung, marching behind Marluxia and Larxene."Where within a haunted castle something's lurking that you don't see every day…It's a beast! One as tall as a mountain, we won't rest 'til he's good and deceased! Sally forth, tally ho! Grab your sword, grab your bow, praise the Lord and here we go!"

Marluxia swung his scythe. "We'll lay siege to the castle and bring back his head!"

"We don't like what we don't understand, in fact it scares us and this monster is mysterious at least", the mob chanted, raising their weapons. "Bring your guns, bring your knives! Save your children and your wives, we'll save our village and our lives! We'll kill the Beast!"

In the castle, even Demyx had calmed down, but Axel was still frustrated. "I knew it!" he yelled and probably would have torn his hair from his head if he just had any. "I knew it was foolish to get our hopes up!"

"Maybe it would have been better if they had never come at all", Luxord added with almost a depressed sigh. A few moving objects gathered at a window. The water boy blinked.

"Could it be?" he asked, running to the window.

Luxord, albeit of what he had just said, followed Demyx's example. "What is it?"

Demyx shook his head frantically. "Invaders!" he cried out, pointing at the courtyard. "And they have the mirror!"

Now even Axel woke up. The fire man looked at Xaldin. "Warn the Masters!" he ordered, and the dreadlocked man left the hall immediately. Axel burned in anger. "If it's a fight they want, we'll be ready for them! Who's with me?!"

Demyx's eyes poured tears again and Luxord tried to console the younger, looking at Axel.

"What do you think we can do?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku was already losing all the hope of getting back to the castle in time. A sudden clatter behind the door, however, made his hopes rise back up. The latch was opened and the door was pulled open to reveal the dark winter's sky. Zexion was there, looking a little out of breath. Riku looked at him. "Why are you here?" the whitette managed to ask after recognizing the other. Zexion didn't show up around Riku and Saïx as often as the rest of the servants, so it wasn't surprising that Riku didn't know him right away. Saïx instead recognized Zexion on the instant. He hadn't forgotten the scent of the boy who had locked him in their room even though he hadn't seen him.

"Because this wasn't what I wanted", Zexion told bluntly. Saïx wasn't satisfied with the answer.

"Answer the question", he snarled. "I know you hate us, so tell me, _why are you here?_"

Zexion shrugged. "I never said I hate any of you", he said, cleaning most of the snow from his clothes. "I just don't believe in love you human's are so devoted to. Now take your horses. We need to get back to the castle."

Riku nodded, rushing out from the cellar, Saïx and Ansem the Wise after him. Zero and Luna were at the stable where they had been left.

"We have only two horses", Saïx noted as Riku led Zero out of its stall. Ansem the Wise smiled, giving Luna's reins to the blunette.

"You three can take Zero and Luna with you", he said. "You have to hurry."

"What about you?" Riku asked and climbed onto Zero's back.

The old man waved his hand. "I'll catch up with you later. Now go."

Saïx hopped on Luna's back. But as a matter of fact, Zexion had never been an athletic type, nor was he going to ride a horse. Never again was his point on that one. "I'll walk, thank you very much", he snorted when Riku reached out to help Zexion to Zero's back. Saïx grimaced and pulled the mercury boy up to Luna's back.

"Don't get me wrong", he snarled. "The fact you don't hate me doesn't mean I do like you. You'll just cause us problems if you lag behind. You just sit down and don't fall."

Zexion made a wry face. "Fine."

"Remember to come after us!" Riku yelled to their father when Zero started to act impatient. "And then… we'll have time to talk!"

The old man nodded. "Just go now!"

And so the race back to castle began. At the beginning, Zero and Luna run side by side. Zexion looked more than annoyed in Riku's opinion, but the whitette decided not to ask about it. The mercury boy kept silent most of the ride.

"Why do you care so much?" he asked finally, but so quietly it was more like a whisper, trying to avoid touching Saïx's back. "I've read it's a sign of madn-"

"It's all because of love", Riku stated, sounding more asking than declaratory. "You're in love, right?"

Zexion flushed lightly, it would have been left unnoticed if Riku hadn't kept his eyes locked on him. The mercury boy looked away. "Monsters don't love, or be loved."

"You consider yourself a monster?" Riku tried. "How foolish you think that is?"

Zexion sneered. "We _are_ monsters. We don't love", he repeated, mentally adding that that was the reason why the spells would never be broken.

Riku looked at the boy. "Lexaeus loves you."

"…What? No, he… I…" the mercury boy mumbled, flushing more.

Riku gave a slight smile at the memory of his short meeting with Lexaeus. He had met the tall, stalwart man a day after his escape at the yard. Riku had been surprised there actually were more servants than Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Xaldin, and Zexion. He had also heard of Vexen, but no-one had told him of Lexaeus. Their conversation had been quite one-sided until Lexaeus had asked one simple question: "Is Zexion still sad?" Riku had shrugged, telling he didn't really know Zexion that well and that Lexaeus should ask it from Zexion himself. The man had given Riku a sad smile and said that then it wasn't right time.

"He asked whether you were sad", Riku continued. "Does it have something to do with your denial of love?"

"No", Zexion mumbled annoyed. "I made a promise years ago to not talk to him."

"He misses you."

"Do you think I don't know that?!" the mercury boy cried out. "Don't push your luck!"

Saïx frowned at their conversation, and when he had had enough, he tossed the reins to Zexion.

"Hold these", he said, and before the shorter had even reacted to the command, Saïx hopped down from Luna's back while the mare was still running.

"Wha-what did you do?!" Zexion barked, trying to hang onto the reins.

"She runs faster now!" Saïx yelled back as the first raindrops fell. "And Riku, forge some common sense to the lover boy's head!"

Zexion gave an annoyed grin, and held tighter onto the reins as Riku smiled.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The mob was breaking through the door. Marluxia smirked. "Take whatever booty you can find. But remember, the Beast is mine!" he shouted.

"Raise the flag, sing the song!" the mob sung as they hit the door with a large tree. "Here we come, we're fifty strong and fifty fighters can't be wrong! Let's kill the Beast!"

Inside the castle, Xaldin stepped into the chamber in the West Wing. "Masters?" he called. Ansem growled dolefully, blankly staring at the rose, or actually what was left of the rose. Xemnas appeared from the shadows to talk. The spite which was typical in his voice was gone. There was clear sadness.

"_I sense hostility_", he stated calmly.

"Masters, the castle is under attack", Xaldin told. "What shall we do?"  
Xemnas looked at Ansem, gaining a soft snarl from the older. "It doesn't matter anymore. Hide or escape. Just let them come."

The dreadlocked man gave a hesitant nod before hurrying to join the others.

"_Are you sure about this_?" Xemnas asked when the door was closed again.

Ansem gave a sigh. "It's already too late…"

When finally the door gave in, the mob rushed in just to find an empty hall. They walked into the castle, warily looking around. It looked just like any abandoned castle, except that the entrance hall was full of various objects and furniture. Xigbar sneered, his gun already loaded.

"What now, Mar?" he asked, annoyed. Marluxia shot him a look.

"Go that way", the pinkette barked, pointing at the stairs that lead to the East Wing. "And if you find the Beast, don't kill it. I want to do it myself. Larxene, you come with me. And Cloud, you get a promotion. Lead this gang."

The man with spiky blonde hair smirked behind his scarf. "Gladly."

As the main three had gone to different directions, Cloud was going to start giving orders when some oppressive music began to play. He and Leon both raised their swords.

"Weird", Leon said as the music stopped as suddenly as it started and he laid down his arms.

"We should continue", Cloud told, and right after his words, the music started again. The objects burst into life and started a massive attack. The townsfolk began to fight back after they had got over the first shock. They didn't know what to expect from the objects and some of them had already fled from the castle. Candleholders were burning people, teapots and cups attacked with boiling hot tea, and knives and forks were singing as they got to sink themselves into the flesh. Not to mention the other enchanted objects that fought as well. It didn't take long before Cloud shouted the order to retreat which the mob did more than willingly without even remembering Marluxia and his two companions. Luxord – who had been in charge of the spectacle in the entrance hall – hummed gladly. "I feel like taking a drink."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Instead of fighting, Axel and Demyx had gone hiding into a poky closet in the second floor before the riot had started. Axel frowned every time Demyx accidentally touched him. "You're extinguishing me", the flame man whined. "Keep your legs on your own side!"

"We should be protecting the castle and our Masters! I don't want to hide here with you!" the water boy stated with a pout. "And it's not my fault I'm leaking!"

"Leak elsewhere!"

"Axel!" Demyx shouted and slapped the fire man's arm.

"Okay, okay! You got the point here, Dem!" Axel admitted, holding his arm. Now he knew how Vexen felt every time when Axel touched him. The flame man opened the door, glanced at the both directions and then back at Demyx. "So the new plan is, we'll split up and help to drive off the invaders, okay?"

Demyx nodded. "Yeah!"

After a moment of walking pointlessly, Demyx began to regret leaving the closet. "Oh, why did we split up in a first place…?" he whimpered, walking around the servants' quarters. He hadn't seen a soul after he and Axel had went to opposite directions. A sudden clack behind the corner startled him. "What was that…?!"

Instead of going to look whether it was an enemy, little Demyx's inner self-preservation instinct guided him to run to the closest room and climb on top of a large locker. That was because the locker was locked and he couldn't hide inside of it. He heard steps coming closer and closer to the room's door. The door creaked open. Xigbar glared to the room.

"Is someone here?" was the question. Demyx glanced quickly at the talker from his hiding place. He let out a loud gasp. _Oh fuck, he's got a gun…!_

"I heard you. Come out from your hiding place and I may not hurt you", Xigbar called, looking around, his index finger on the trigger. The water boy bit his lower lip. He believed that the gunman perhaps wouldn't hurt him but if he found the Masters it would be far from the playground. He had to think fast. What would the others do? He remembered a night when Luxord had challenged Xaldin into the game of chess. "The one who makes the first move wins", the blonde had said with a laugh. Demyx looked down one more time. The man was with his back towards the locker. The water boy squeezed his hands to fists and jumped to attack with a loud cry. Xigbar startled as Demyx pushed him to the floor with his whole weight. He accidentally dropped his gun, giving to the water boy a chance to grab the weapon. And Demyx didn't waste time.

Xigbar shot a look over his shoulder. "Wha-?! Get off me you-!"

Demyx glared at the man as murderously as he could. "Don't move or…!" he cried out, retreating a bit. Yet he was pointing at Xigbar with the man's hunting gun. "Or I'll shoot you with no hesitation!"

At first Xigbar just glared at the boy. That wasn't the Beast he was looking for anyway, no matter how weird that kid looked like. The kid was kind of cute, actually. And not just kind of cute, but very cute. Xigbar laughed, noticing that Demyx was more afraid than he was. The boy trembled so much that the gun could hardly even stay still in his hands.

"Put that gun away", Xigbar told with a grin, raising his hands. "I'm a nice guy. I won't hurt you."

Demyx gave a little smile. "Promise?" Then he remembered that he shouldn't trust that guy. His smile fell and he moved his finger back to the trigger. "Ah, I mean, no! You came here to kill our Masters!"

Xigbar shook his head. "As if, kid! You've misunderstood me!" he declared. "We're here to kill the Beast! Wait, that's probably the same thing…!"

"Our Masters are not monsters…!" Demyx cried out, tears of anger pouring from his eyes. "For a second I thought you're a good guy but you're just an evil meanie!"

Xigbar stood up the floor. He snatched the gun back, looking at the boy. "This kind of things can be dangerous in incapable hands", he said, smiling. "And about that 'evil meanie' part…"

Xigbar lifted Demyx's chin to peck a kiss on the boy's lips. "Does that prove I'm not a bad guy?" Xigbar asked, making Demyx stare shocked at him before the water boy burst into tears. The older startled. "Hey, wha-?! Please, stop crying, kiddo!"

"I think I wet myself…!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

On the other side of the castle, Marluxia and Larxene were searching for the Beast. If there was something that Marluxia liked in his blonde friend, it would have been the girl's zeal. Larxene, her daggers ready, kicked doors open, one by one, with no hesitation. She did anything for Marluxia, and that was the honest truth. They had always more like best friends than lovebirds, and when Marluxia set his sight on Riku things didn't really change. Even though Larxene didn't like Riku, if someone dishonored her Marly, she was not responsible for the consequences. The blonde girl finally reached a large pair of wooden doors at the end of the West Wing.

"That's the last one this floor", she snorted. "And still no Beast."

Marluxia shrugged. "It will be somewhere in this castle", he said, looking at the girl. "If you're so worried about its existence, go and find Xigbar. I'll be fine."

Larxene frowned. "Fine, but I guess you'll need this." She handed a few of her knives to the man and obeyed the command to find Xigbar. Marluxia, now left alone, pushed the door open, his grip on the scythe tightening. The room was dark and messy and it took a moment for Marluxia to see better. When his eyes got used to the darkness, he was able to see a large figure in front of the windows. Ansem glanced at Marluxia, but turned his back at the intruder, giving a simple growl. The pinkette smirked. He took an aim and threw one of the knives deadly accurately in the direction of the Beast. It hit Ansem's shoulder, making the Beast let out a loud roar in pain. Marluxia's smirk widened as he ran towards Ansem and pushed the Beast through the window into the pouring rain. Ansem landed on a roof deck where Marluxia soon followed him to. The pinkette snorted when he noticed the Beast seemed to have already given up.

He kicked Ansem's side, gaining only a mournful growl. "What's wrong?!" he cried out, holding his scythe. "Too kind and gentle to even fight back?! I expected more from a Beast!"

Ansem turned his eyes away from Marluxia. It was already over. Riku wasn't there. Marluxia raised his scythe and swung it towards the Beast.

"Ansem!" The Beast's eyes widened after hearing the familiar voice. He grabbed the scythe's blade and turned to look to the yard. He smiled softly, seeing Riku and Zexion there. He had come back. Marluxia twisted the scythe, making the blade cut a deep wound on Ansem's paw. Ansem let go of the weapon, glaring at Marluxia.

"I think I have to end this now!" the pinkette yelled, after noticing how tenderly the Beast had looked at Riku. He swung the scythe once more, only to be surprised when Ansem let it hit him on the already damaged shoulder. Marluxia was physically weaker than Ansem, so he decided to ditch the scythe for a moment to trip the Beast. Unfortunately for him, they both lost balance, sliding down to the lower protrusion.

Marluxia cursed under his breath as he saw his scythe hanging from the upper deck. He needed a temporary weapon and a gargoyle neck would have to do the job. Marluxia broke the statue and grabbed the head, looking around. Ansem had hid amongst the statues.

"Were you in love?!" Marluxia yelled. "There's no chance that Riku would choose a monster like you over me! Stop hiding and fight like a man!"

The pinkette walked past the Beast, giving Ansem an opportunity to attack him. But Marluxia was ready and slammed the weapon against Ansem, causing the Beast to retreat few steps.

"You… You don't know Riku", the Beast grimaced, holding the hit spot. "If he… loved you… He would have returned to the village…"

Marluxia halted. "Stop manipulating me…!" he cried out, lifting up the weapon to attack again. "I love Riku…!"

Ansem grabbed onto the gargoyle's neck when Marluxia brought it down and gave a sad smile to the pinkette. "We were not so different", the Beast mumbled, snatching the stone weapon and tossing it out of reach. He grabbed the pinkette at his collar and held him over the edge, with a smirk on his face.

"What are you waiting for?!" Marluxia yelled. "Drop me if you're man enough!"

A few days back, Ansem would have dropped the pinkette without even regretting it later. Before Riku came to his life, he didn't trust or respect anyone. He didn't respect life. But things had changed. He really had a _heart _now. Marluxia grit his teeth as Ansem pulled him back to the protrusion. "But… I have changed… Now leave, and never come back to this castle."

Marluxia didn't answer or look at Ansem. He wasn't grateful at all that his life had been saved. Hearing Riku's voice made him even angrier. The boy yelled the Beast's name, and not his.

When Ansem saw Riku, standing on the main balcony and calling his name, he couldn't help but smile. Riku was really back. The Beast climbed up the slippery roofing tiles towards the balcony where Riku was holding out his hand.

"Riku", Ansem whispered, taking the boy's hand with his paw. "You really came back…"

"Why wouldn't I have come back?" Riku said, smiling tenderly at the Beast. "I never said I… Look out!"

It was too late. Ansem let out a loud roar of pain as Marluxia stabbed one of Larxene's daggers deep into his side. The pinkette smirked as he pulled the weapon out from the Beast's flesh and retreated a little just in case. Riku grabbed Ansem at his shoulders to prevent him from falling because of the sudden attack. Marluxia laughed, climbing closer to the balcony's railing while Riku helped the Beast to the balcony. The whitette glared at the pinkette and, blinded by deep anger, he snatched the key he had got from Ansem from the necklace.

"I hate you", Riku whispered coldly, and when Marluxia placed his hand on the railing he struck the key down onto Marluxia's hand. The pinkette, gasping because of sudden pain, looked quickly at Riku, shocked. He let go of the railing, losing his balance and fell from the roof.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Riku quickly turned to help Ansem. The Beast was lying on the balcony, pressing his paw on the wound. The bleeding hadn't stopped, and for Ansem, it was getting hard to breath evenly.

Riku moved the paw to bind the wound. "It will be okay", the whitette reassured the Beast, smiling gently. "I'll stop the bleeding and then… everything will be okay."

Ansem twitched as Riku touched the wound. He pushed the boy's hand away. "No, Riku", the Beast mumbled with a slight grimace. Even talking seemed to hurt a lot. "It will… be better this way…"

Riku looked sadly at the Beast. "Don't say that", the whitette whispered, softly stroking Ansem's silver mane. "I'm here with you now... Everything will be alright…"

There were a few tears tricking down Riku's cheeks. "I don't… want to see you cry", Ansem said quietly, swiping the tears away. "So please… smile…" The whitette forced himself to smile and the Beast smiled back at him. "At least this one last time, before… I…"

The morning sun gleamed slightly through the woods as Ansem's golden eyes slipped shut. The rain had stopped, but as Riku stared at the body, his eyes were pouring tears again. "Don't leave me…" Riku laid his head on the Beast's chest. "Please, don't… I… I love you…"

_I give a wailed breath and see_

_Your smile as you look at me for the last time_

_I'd give everything from my heart_

_Is there still time?_

The servants had gathered at the chamber of West Wing. Axel was the closest to the pedestal, looking sadly as the last petal of the enchanted rose descended and melted away. Luxord exchanged mourning looks with Xaldin as they looked away from the rose's remains, their hopes of returning to normal falling away. Zexion was there, too, holding Lexaeus' hand and hiding how much he wanted to cry. Demyx instead didn't hold back his tears. He cried, hugging Xigbar who actually didn't know what was going on, and yet, all the older wanted to do was comfort the crying boy.

At the broken castle doors, Xemnas watched as Saïx and the old man Ansem the Wise arrived.

"Xemnas", Saïx whispered, leaving his father behind as he hurried to the shadow man.

"_You're late_", the shadow said softly to Saïx, gaining a sorry look from the blunette.

Ansem the Wise, who still couldn't fully believe what he had heard about the monsters' kindness, looked at the castle. "Is Riku there…?"

"_Yes. He… they're at the balcony_", Xemnas told in a tone of calm sadness.

"Are they alright?" Saïx had to ask. He remembered clearly how much people there had been going to the castle. Xemnas didn't look at the blunette as he quietly told the truth.

"_As I know… there isn't much to do._"


	7. Chapter 1-7

Chapter 7. Lights

Riku couldn't stop crying. He just wanted to bury deeper into Ansem's wet fur. Then suddenly, there was a quiet sound, a tinkle, followed by other similar sounds, one after another. Riku looked up. Beautiful glowing lights were coming down from the sky like hailstones, breaking softly into smaller lights as they touched anything. Riku gasped, backing off from the body as a bright light surrounded the Beast. He stared at the light in shock, having to soon close his eyes because of its brightness.

Suddenly the light vanished and Riku barely dared to open his eyes. But when he did, he looked at a completely different figure laying there. Riku crawled a bit further as the figure moved. It gave a soft groan and sat up slowly, yet very clumsily. It wasn't a Beast, actually far from it. It was a male with tanned skin and long but messy silver hair. The clothes the man wore were clearly too big for him, but for the Beast they would have fitted perfectly. Riku approached the man, partly curious, partly still scared. He startled as the man stood up and turned to him. Riku held his breath as the man caught a sight of him. The man was taller than him or Saïx, and looked perhaps a few years older, too. And on his chest was an image of a heart.

The man gave a tender smile. "Riku", he said, his golden eyes locked on the boy. His voice was hoarse, just like he had slept for a very long time. "Are you crying…?"

Riku looked confused, wiping the remains of tears from his cheeks. The man let out a chuckle. "It's me, Riku", he told, taking the whitette's hand. "Ansem."

Riku raked the man with his eyes. He didn't look like the Beast Riku had known, and yet, there was a large stain of blood on the side of his shirt and three claw-looking scars on his left arm. The man smiled as Riku ran his hand slowly through the man's feather-like hair. The whitette stared at the gleaming golden eyes. Riku gave a gasp. "It really is you", he whispered with a faint smile. "I thought you died."

Ansem smiled as he brought his free hand to Riku's cheek to caress it. "I'm here now… with you", he said. "Isn't it enough?"

"It's more than I ever imagined", Riku replied and pressed his lips to Ansem's without a warning. The older responded to the kiss clumsily but more than gladly, not wanting it to end.

There was a sound of running through the corridor, and soon Saïx, followed by old man Ansem, arrived at the balcony. The blunette took a sharp breath as he saw Riku, not to forget the point when he saw Riku _kissing someone_. But as a kind big brother, he didn't dare to interrupt. Demyx didn't think as much. The lights that fell from the sky had been seen in the West Wing, too, and the servants had hurried to see what was happening.

"You broke the spell!" Demyx whooped, seeing their Master wasn't a Beast anymore. Riku ended the kiss, looking embarrassed at how many people had gathered there. More lights fell down like a moment later, embracing the servants and the castle more than the morning sun did. It was warm and kind light. Demyx was more than happy when the liquid layer vanished, revealing soft skin instead. "Look, Axel! I'm not leaking anymore!"

Axel gave him a wide grin. "I can see that", he laughed. Axel had got his spiky red hair back and there were no more little flames on his skin. The flame man was literally free from fire. Xaldin gave a relieved sigh when the wind didn't obey him anymore and his locks fell on his back just like they should. Luxord, Zexion, and Lexaeus were no longer causing cuts, changing their forms, or unable to feel touch. They were flesh and blood, just like humans should be. Of course there was a price for returning normal; none of the servants had their unique abilities any longer. No more commanding the enchanted dishes, either. The castle was back to normal.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Larxene had followed the noise to the balcony after realizing the mob had left ages ago. She found Xigbar at the balcony's entrance. She grabbed the man at his shoulder.

"Where is Marluxia?" she asked, very irritated.

"Damn, you scared me!" Xigbar replied with a frown. "I don't know." Larxene wasn't satisfied with the answer. She marched straight to Riku, pointing at him accusingly.

"Where _is_ Marluxia?!" the blonde girl repeated the question. Riku blinked a couple of times, and then he looked sadly at the girl before turning his gaze away. Ansem wrapped his hands around Riku protectively.

Larxene startled, realizing what had happened. "What have you done…?!" she managed to yell.

Riku closed his eyes for a moment as Larxene fell on her knees. She didn't cry yet but she was in shock. "What will I do with my life now…? He was… everything I had…"

The whitette didn't fully regret what happened between him and Marluxia, but seeing Larxene like that hurt, even though Riku really disliked the girl.

Axel stepped forward, looking at Riku and Ansem. "She needs time. I'll try to talk to her later", he said with a faint smile. "You can go."

Riku gave a hesitant nod, and as the others left the balcony, Axel stayed there with Larxene.

Nobody knew what was happening at the yard at the same time. Vexen, who never left his basement without a very good reason, had also felt the lights and went outside to see what was going on. He sneezed.

"The spells must be broken", he mumbled, feeling the cold air. The former ice man gave a snort. He had been free from all kinds of flues and other cold related illnesses and now the winter-loving scientist felt like he was going to catch a cold. "Well, at least it's not sum-" He gave a gasp, seeing someone lying on the snow and hurried to the body. "Hey, are you alright?!"

When there was no answer, Vexen barely dared to touch the pink-haired figure. He wasn't even sure where the person had come from or whether it was actually a he or she. Or whether the person was only blacked out or actually dead. Vexen sneered as he took the person's hand to check the pulse. There was a nasty wound on the back of the hand. "Where did you get that…?" the scientist asked out loud. He gave a slight smile, noticing he wasn't dealing with a corpse when the person moved a little.

The pinkette gave a moan. "It's cold here…"

Clearly a male, Vexen thought when he heard the person talk. The voice was too low to belong to a woman. "That's because you're lying in the snow", the scientist noted.

"Am I… dead?" the pinkette asked, looking at Vexen. He gave a smile. "I must be because I see an angel…"

Vexen sneered at the comment. "Goddammit, you must have fever or something. How did you even get here?"

"I… I guess I fell… but I don't really remember", the pinkette told, looking thoughtfully at his damaged hand before looking at Vexen again. He tried to sit up but couldn't. "…I feel kinda broken."

"You probably have hit your head, too. I'll do a medical examination to you as soon as I get you in", the scientist said with a slight smile and stood up. "Let's hope there's not much damage done. Can you move at all?"

"A bit", the pinkette told, raising his hands to reach out to Vexen who then pulled him up to his feet. It was weird to stand up when both legs felt like they would break any minute. He was pleased, yet a bit ashamed when Vexen helped him to walk. "Thank you, um…?"

The scientist snorted. "Vexen."

"That's a nice name", the pinkette said, giving a wide smile. "I'm… Marluxia."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Saïx had lots of things to think about. The spells had broken, that was self-evident, but Saïx was worried. Xemnas hadn't followed him to the balcony for some reason, so now the blunette had to find him. Actually, Saïx wanted to see him. The only place he thought of at the moment where the shadow man could be was the art gallery.

"Xemnas?" Saïx called, opening the door and stepping into the dark room. All the curtains had been closed and it was hard to see much. The door made a sound as the blunette closed it. Saïx startled when he was suddenly hugged from behind. "Xemnas?" the blunette repeated.

There was a chuckle. "Yes?"

Of course Saïx could have smelled that it was Xemnas. But now as he heard him talk, the blunette was surprised. His voice was a bit different. Not as creepily resonant as it had been.

"Why are you hiding here in dark?" Saïx had to ask, trying to look at the former shadow man over his shoulder.

"I'm not hiding", Xemnas said, letting go of the blunette. Saïx turned to him, frowning.

"I can't see you", he mumbled quietly. Saïx gasped as Xemnas placed his hands on the blunette's chest.

"Will it bother you if I touch you?" Xemnas asked, worriedly.

"Friends don't touch one another like this", Saïx replied, but embarrassedly placed his hands on Xemnas'. "But… I don't really mind it, either."

"Good", Xemnas whispered. He ran his hands first down on Saïx's abs then back up to collarbones, making the blunette shiver. For someone like Xemnas who hadn't touched anyone or anything in several years, it was pure bliss to feel.

"But if I let you touch me", Saïx continued, embarrassed as Xemnas moved his hands up to his cheeks. "Will you show your real self to me?"

Xemnas stopped moving. "Is that how badly you want to see me?"

"Yes", the blunette mumbled. "I can't read you through a touch."

Saïx frowned when Xemnas laughed at his comment. "I'll open the curtains, then", Xemnas said, moving his hands from the blunette's cheeks. "But could you wait a little longer and close your eyes?"

"It will be worth waiting", Saïx said, closing his eyes. There were sounds of curtains opening and Xemnas' steps as he walked back.

"I don't guarantee anything", Xemnas told. Saïx gave him a smile, eyes still closed.

"Do you really think I would be here if I was scared to see you?" the blunette snarled.

"Well, open your eyes."

Curiously, Saïx opened his eyes, looking directly at the man in front of himself. Xemnas was only a bit taller than he was, tanned and muscular, yet slender. He had beautiful facial features and long silver hair, just like his brother. But the most noticeable part was his eyes, those gorgeous golden eyes.

"It's embarrassing if you stare", Xemnas mumbled with a smirk.

"I guess it will be more embarrassing if I touch", the blunette teased, moving his hands to Xemnas' hips and pulling the other closer. He pressed their lips hungrily together, making Xemnas' turn red. They were soon locked in a passionate kiss, their hands roaming and caressing each other. As they at last pulled away, panting heavily, both of them ashamed of their actions, but still extremely happy of what they had done.

"I didn't even remember… that touching and being touched feels this good…"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

During the day, it began to snow more than it had in a long time, it was impossible to leave the castle; Riku had more or less adapted to that situation. However, hearing about the spells made him confused at first, then vexed because no one had told him.

"What do you think I should have said?" Ansem asked, sitting on the arm chair and frowning at Riku. "That I must fall in love and earn love in return to be human again, huh? I don't think so. I never thought it would be possible, anyway."

Riku frowned, not commenting. Ansem sighed. "Well, I'm sorry for being a heartless bastard and not telling, thank you very much. Could we just now forget all this? I don't really want to remember any of it."

"So you think the time _we_had isn't worth remembering?!" Riku cried out.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" the silverette yelled back, holding his forehead annoyed. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you", the whitette hissed. He marched, very peeved, out of the room. Ansem followed him into the corridor, quickly stopping the whitette by grabbing his hand.

"I don't want to fight", Ansem said calmly.

Riku snatched his hand back. "Neither do I!"

"What's the problem then? This can't be just because of me", the tanned silverette muttered, looking at Riku's eyes. "You've been acting weird since…"

The whitette twitched and retreated few steps further, too angry and annoyed to hear the steps behind himself. He glared at the castle's Master.

"Since Larxene declared me as a murderer!" he exclaimed. "Yes, I have killed a man! It's not like I have anything-!"

Riku let out a squeak. "Yeah, about that, Riku dear", a certain pinkette hummed, wrapping his hands around the whitette's shoulders. "You really scared me. I never thought you could be so mean to me."

"You… You should be dead!" the whitette shouted when he was able to talk after the worst shock. "You fell from the roof!"

The pinkette grinned widely and showed the wound on the back of his hand. "Alive I am", he hummed, squeezing the boy tighter. "Snow was soft."

Ansem grimaced as Marluxia touched Riku too friendly in his opinion. "Remember who you're hugging", he snarled.

Marluxia blinked, trying to recognize the man. "Oh, now I remember you! You're the Beast! You look much better now", he laughed after a moment and let go of Riku. "No hard feelings, eh?"

"At the moment I wish I was the one who let you fall from the roof."

Before Marluxia replied to the statement, a man with long blonde hair appeared around the corner. He huffed like he had just run around the entire castle.

"Marluxia!" the man yelled, now walking towards the others. "What are you doing here? I asked you to stay-"

"Vexen!" Marluxia cried out happily and hugged the older man tightly. "I was so worried when you didn't come back so I left to look for you!"

Riku glanced confusedly at Ansem, waiting for him to explain. "Don't look at me like that. I don't have any idea about this", the silverette said. Vexen looked almost pissed off as Marluxia cuddled him. He was probably ashamed to be the target of the pinkette's devotion. It had been like that all day after he had stated that Marluxia had only a mild concussion and a few bruises and strains. That lucky pink-haired bastard fell from the roof and didn't even break any bones.

"I'm very sorry for this… nuisance", the blond mumbled. "Marluxia. Let go of me."

The pinkette gave a smile and pursed his lips. "If you give me a kiss…"

Vexen sneered, pushing the pinkette away violently. He bowed apolitically to Ansem and began to hurry away, looking very humiliated and mumbling a few curses under his breath.

"Wait for me, Vexie!" Marluxia yelled, running to catch up to the blonde. "It was a joke! Well, actually it wasn't but…! Wait for me!"

Riku was left alone with Ansem again. "That was… refreshing?" the whitette said with a hum.

Ansem raised an eyebrow. "So…?"

"I'm sorry. This has just been so exhausting and all", Riku sighed, giving a soft smile. "I still shouldn't have yelled to my favorite Beast."

"An apology accepted", Ansem chuckled. "Should I show you how much _Beast_I still am?"

"Pervert!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Epilogue

Soon, the villagers forgot the existence of the castle in the woods, or they just didn't want to remember it, and the people of the castle were more than happy about that.

Riku learned a lot about his real parents through Ansem the Wise's letters. The old man had decided to tour the country and sent his carrier pigeon to the castle once in a while. Young Ansem instead used his time mostly to follow the footsteps of late lord Xehanort; he started reading more and eventually even learned to write again. Thanks to Riku, he also had become more patient and understanding. He was on his way to be a better Master.

Saïx and Xemnas had lived in the castle with their brothers for a while until they decided that it was time for Riku and Ansem to stand on their own. Nobody actually knew where they left to.

Demyx was cheery and childish like always. He continued his job as a servant but he was mostly seen playing his sitar instead of working. Xigbar moved to the castle to be with him and no one, expect Saïx, had anything against it.

Luxord and Xaldin kept on working in the castle's kitchen and they had no intention of leaving the place. The only difference was that because Luxord had started drinking again, Xaldin actually had to work twice as much as before.

As for Zexion and Lexaeus, they had left the castle to travel with Ansem the Wise and the old man willingly had taken some company with him. He really needed someone to read a map.

Axel and Larxene had gotten together, so the girl had decided to move in as well. She gave birth to their first-born the following autumn. Getting a child at the castle caused lots of noise and extra work for everyone. The one who would have said Larxene will be bad mother was wrong. She had really lost her edge and became a loving parent.

Vexen stayed in the basement but was often harassed by Marluxia who had decided to stay in the castle for good. The pinkette redecorated the castle's garden and was often seen at the yard from the balcony. Riku still avoided him as well as he could, usually very unsuccessfully.

As soon as the spells broke, the people who had lived in the castle years ago were also allowed to return to the castle, and many of them did.

The White Witch, Naminé, also decided to pay a visit to the castle in a cold winter's night. But that's a completely different story…

The End

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: Thanks to all readers, reviewers, followers, and to everyone who have helped me to write this. Especially to you, Senjuina, who beta'd most of the story. I love you all~


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